No Longer Alone
by Arnavi
Summary: There was an unfathomable innocence in her, an air of tranquility engulfed her and it unsettled Kol. He wanted to know her, possess her and in time make her his to keep. Only, she was a queer young woman with a stubbornness that often did her more bad than good. She knew she couldn't stand his insanity, but knew that she couldn't stand without him. How were they possibly to be?
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note:** Hello everyone!_

_A lot of us love the (shifting) resident Good-looking psychopath. None other than Kol Mikaelson. Don't we? Oh yes we do!_

_I really wish he was giving a chance to share more screen space, needless to say they chose well to portray him! Kol is one who is seemingly absolutely unpredictable, scheming and impulsive both at the same time. He can be very gentlemanly and consequently completely cold and cruel. Isn't that why we love(d) Damon? How I wish the Damon of season 1 came back magically!_

_Anyway. I love characters with so much of self-contradictory traits. While they can be extremely difficult to write, they are challenging and needless to say an author's absolute delight._

_This fanfic however is on the darker side and I have no intention of portraying a softer version of Kol for he is an unstable and extremely unpredictable character. I'd recommend the reading of a short Summary that has been posted a few lines below._

_Also I'd like you all to know that I am a slow upload-er. I don't aim to post for the sake of posting. I want the writing to be inch perfect (or atleast try to be as close to it as possible) and may have to work on any suggestion offered. I hope you all will be patient! :)_

_Now, let me not keep you for too long!_

_Happy Reading :)_

_- Arnavi._

_**Disclaimer :**** Apart from the plot and the Original Character(s) in this story, everything duly belongs to its rightful owner.**  
_

_**Summary:**_

Kol Mikaelson was a psychopath, a creature of of the dark. His obsession knew no boundaries. He was damaged, and so was Arianna Griffiths. Her opaque eyes gave little away, forming an effective shield to the secrets she held buried deep within the recesses of her being. There was a mystifying yet tranquil aura about her reserved personality. She had an innocence that he spotted, waiting to be corrupted. He had set his eyes on her and was going to pursue her till she was equally damaged, just as much as him, till she loathed herself and turned to a mere reflection of his own. She was his little source of amusement, his play thing to toy with, to break and to fix.. if and when he chose. They were both secretive players in the age old game of cat and mouse. But in the process, could they see past eachother's failings? Could there possibly be an answer as to why Kol had chosen to keep her so long, than claim the blood he so dearly craved running through her veins? And could she tell how she would endure their little game?

For some clarity, this fic picks up after 3X14 with everything continuing in the background as usual.

* * *

_**PROLOGUE.**_

The countryside seemed to hold in it a charm of its own as the rails of the train carried its heavy carriages forward. England hadn't truly been as fascinating as the young lady now seated at the corner of the small counter would have liked it to be. Sure she had met people and deeply enjoyed the life of a regular varsity student; the weather however always seemed to dampen her spirits. She hated the cold and constantly wet weather that was characteristic of the Island country.

Today however, was different. Lazily slumped across the seat, earphones playing one of her favorite tracks, she looked out the window at the vast expanse of greenery that lay before her. The rain hadn't yet taken to its full course. Drops seemed to merely caress the moist humid air outside, gently swaying with the motion of the wind before they took charge. The sun had yet to fade into oblivion. One could certainly say it was setting and would soon be replaced, but there was time. She felt content even though her mind raced with worry.

She looked at her wristwatch a small furrow appearing on her otherwise complacent features. She hoped the sudden change in weather wouldn't disrupt her travelling schedule. It was pretty tight after all giving her all of two hours and no more to make it from the Kings Cross Station to Heathrow Airport. She was playing on pure luck.

Few things had the pleasure of catching the eye of Kol Mikaelson. One wouldn't expect an immortal that had walked a thousand years (never mind the century for which he might have been daggered) to not have witnessed everything the world had to offer, yet the little brunette slouched on the plush seat of the bogey seemed to have his complete attention. This journey had been an unprecedented one. He had no set agenda, no goal, no boundaries. Kol enjoyed freedom. He enjoyed being a creature of his own will. After having left Mystic Falls, no matter how dramatic life had been and how much he enjoyed living amidst the chaos, Europe had surely been a pleasant change. However, all good things had to come to an end, and so did this expedition.

He however thought of it as a temporary hiatus. With an eternity stretched out before him, he had no reason to think otherwise. He would meet his brother, taunt him, scheme of agendas to be taken care of and resume his tour that had been cut short.

For now though, what interested him was the little mortal. She seemed oblivious of him, of the fact that she was being watched. Every now and then she would glance casually at her wrist watch. An air of tranquility engulfed her. It unsettled Kol. He continued to assess her. She wasn't too tall, he would guess she was about 5'7 at most, slender built. Her shabby, uncombed hair somehow didn't seem out of place on her oval face. She had long curly lashes, of that he was certain considering the way she kept bobbing her head ever so often, her eyes closed. He felt a smile grace his lips.

The train began dropping its usual pace intimating the arrival of their destination. She began straightening her sweatshirt and pulled her pair of glasses from the front pockets of her sweatshirt and moved to retrieve her bags from the overhead storage space. Kol watched her actions with amusement. Rarely had he seen one so clumsy, least of all a woman. This young lady however did not look to be the ordinary ones he was accustomed to seeing. She was queer. Unlike her peers who had boarded along with her, she wasn't loud mouthed, no. She kept to herself. Her eyes held a distant gaze, her features contented. There wasn't anything striking about her, nothing that a man would consider attractive, but innocence so tempting to be corrupted. Kol's gaze hardened further.

He watched as she stretched to retrieve her stored luggage in the process exposing the supple skin of her waist. His eyes enjoyed the sight of her. She fumbled with her spectacles nearly dropping them on the carpeted floor of the bogey. Kol had the urge to make himself known to her, but refrained. No. He had ideas of his own.

Kol Mikaelson wasn't one who made plans, he acted upon impulse. Why then was he acting differently now?

Oh he knew why! His eyes shone with mischief, an unforgivably deceptively mischievous grin covered his face. He simply sat back and enjoyed what was being offered to him. The girl thanked her helper and quickly put on her spectacles. Boy! They were ridiculous. Large black rimmed glasses covered the majority portion of her eyes, shielding them away from view, as if they knew that those eyes held a secret. An unforgivable secret – the secret to her essence, her innocence. His throat was itching with the prospect of thinking of the sweetness of her blood.

She clearly had a perplexing sense of fashion. While her peers chose to dress in frilly frocks, skin showing skirts and trendy figure hugging attire, she chose a pair ill fitting denims and an oversized sweatshirt complemented by a pair of unladylike sneakers. It seemed like she paid the least attention to her attire as she pulled her wavy hair into a shabby knot which was kept in place with a pencil!

The girl was surely a walking contradiction of Rebekah! Kol thought. She stuffed her earphones into her pant pockets callously and collected her novel from the counter.

"Happy holidays." A blonde haired girl wished her while leaving as their station arrived.

"Thank you. Wish you the same!" She smiled generously, a twinkle reaching her eye.

Kol followed her footsteps as she collected her luggage and headed towards the exit. She walked towards the nearest Underground station – Finsbury Park, once again fumbling with her heavy suitcase every now and then and apologizing. He found her courage and even temper quite amusing. Her demeanor didn't once show any change – any sign of irritation, contemplation, hurt, embarrassment. Was she stoic? He thought.

He followed her now, like a predator his prey. Her hair fell out of its place as the cold London wind kept playing havoc with it and she clumsily tried to pull it back together. Her scent was tempting. It wasn't sweet, no. It was anything but. It was spicy, it was rustic, it was natural; it was his personal brand of cocaine.

Kol couldn't fathom why he was stalking the girl save the fact that his throat was itching for blood. He was itching to kill. His prey stood right there, in the middle of the crowded Finsbury Park station. He didn't bother; he could have murdered the whole lot and stolen her away to his liar to have his ways with her.

He recollected the slight show of skin he chanced on the train and a sudden fit of passion took over him. He wanted nothing more than to uncover the unseen under that hideous attire. He wanted to taste the innocence of those supple lips, feel the fullness of every curve that molded her body, hear her voice call his name, call out to him. And when he was satisfied, he wanted to taste the blood that flowed through her veins. He wanted to consume her blood, corrupt her innocence, possess her being.

The wind once again ruffled through her already messy hair, making her scent more pronounced than it already was to Kol. He let himself enjoy the delectable aroma of her momentarily, closing his eyes; a sinister grin on his lips. He felt himself plummeting into a state of trance.

A vibration in his chest pocket shook him out of his reverie. Dismayed as he was, when he opened his eyes, his little mortal was nowhere to be found. She had seemed to have disappeared. Kol was annoyed, angry more likely. And an angry Kol was a dangerous Kol.

He tossed the annoying object that was vibrating in his hand to the ground in rage. He would deal with the consequences later. For the moment, he knew he would find her. He had seen her, he had smelled her, she lingered in his senses and he would possess her.

His eyes turned to the busty blonde who had been giving him lecherous looks, trying desperately to win his attention. She smiled coyly at him. His deceptively handsome mask resurfaced. His throat itched and his body craved for blood. For now – any blood would have to suffice.

"Hello darling, have you been waiting long for me?" he smirked at her.

"Not as nearly as you'd think. Let's get out of here." She supplied, turning towards the exit, signaling Kol to follow and he did so dutifully not resisting one bit.

Later that night, it was reported that a young woman, aged 27, blonde haired and of a heavy stature named Christa Stevens had been murdered. The police suspected that the Pimp who engaged Christa might have had a hand in the alleged murder case due to continued growing tension between the two. The marks on her neck, wrist, thighs and her mangled body however went unnoticed.

* * *

**_Reviews are always welcome. Please leave a review. It doesn't take too long! :)_**


	2. Chapter 1

_Firstly, thank you so much for the lone review **Cassie-D 101**. If at all I am uploading its thanks to your review :)_

_I was a bit at sea about where I wanted this story to go, but fortunately I let my imagination run a little wild and found some insight. Basically, in this chapter I am going to try to shed some light on the lead female protagonist. And it is in first person POV because somehow, I found it to be a more comfortable medium to proceed. Those of you who aren't too happy about it, please don't hesitate to let me know! _

_I hope you guys enjoy this one!_

_Happy Reading._

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

I wasn't a huge admirer of long journeys. No, wait. I detested long journeys. Yes, that seemed more apt. I felt dizzy, and sick, and tired. The mild jet-lag wasn't helping either. I should have been happy that I was returning home reunited with my family after a very long absence, but no, I wasn't.

Home! I laughed to myself, my mouth twisting in a sarcastic smile. Yes, Mystic Falls was certainly my home. A home which held memories I craved to forget. It was my home.

A home – with a father who had been unfortunate to be killed by the numerous animal attacks that occurred.

A home – with a mother who strangely seemed to have forgotten what animal had attacked her husband while being in the same car.

A home – with a brother who was determined to ruin his life and blame his father for it.

Yes, I was certainly home.

When I was offered my acceptance letter from Cambridge to study Psychology, I had thought that it would be the end of my pain. The prospect of relocating to England had seemed lucrative. It promised what I most craved – a fresh start. My mother had been delighted at the news I shared, my brother impassive and indifferent and my father had already been taken too long to express his appreciation. I had vowed to myself to never return till his memories lived in the same house that I was headed to, till they'd continue to haunt me, but alas! Here I was, Mystic Falls.

I pulled my glasses to the bridge of my nose, hastefully searching for any spare dollars I might have saved from the currency exchange centre at the airport. The cab driver, a kind old man waited patiently as I fidgeted with my bag, always being the clumsy one. After much trials and tribulations when I did hand him over the designated amount he smiled at me kindly and helped me with my huge suitcase and drove away.

It was nearing impossibility and somewhat shameful to stand in front of the Griffith Manor looking nothing short of a lost, expectant beggar child. I was well aware of the lack of coördination of my attire and my extremely messy hair. I walked upto the electronic gate, punching the numbers on the automated lock. Much to my surprise, it wasn't the one I had been aware of. I tried again, thinking of another possible combination only to fail. On my final attempt when I couldn't make it, I saw a guard approach towards me.

"Ma'am, may I ask who you want?" his voice was stern and serious.

"It's my house. Open the gates." I answered dryly, yawning. It had been a very long, sleepless day.

"Ofcourse it is. And you would be?" He muttered sarcastically.

"Arianna Griffiths. Now stop asking me questions and open the bloody gate." I snapped at him angrily.

"I'm sorry ma'am but I'm going to need identification." He persisted.

I was furious. "You need identification? I'll give you identification." I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and hastily dialed the digits.

"Mother, it would be very kind of you to ask your guards to allow me into my house. Could you oblige, please?" I snapped the phone shut without waiting for her response and waited patiently as the guard helped me in, apologizing after orders from his senior.

Nothing had changed. The hedges were trimmed in the exact manner as they were when my father had been alive. The white marble fountain of which my grandfather had been very fond still stood shining like a star under the sunlight in all its glory. The smell of fresh berries wafted in the winds and the secret memories that this house held unfurled like an old lady's secrets. I could feel the sudden dampening of my spirits.

Memories. Yes, I certainly had been afraid of them; precisely them.

"Arianna, darling." My mother hurried towards me, her gracious figure engulfing me in her tight grasp. "Have we not missed you?" Her voice was filled with unexpressed emotion and had I not known her better, I would have said she was not tearful.

"Yes, which is why I had the pleasure of calling myself a cab home from New York. You certainly have missed me, mother." I muttered, extracting myself from her embrace, dropping my bag on the couch nearby.

"What are you talking about? I wasn't even aware of your trip. Do you really think I wouldn't have made arrangements if my daughter was to come home?" She defended herself, indignant that I was questioning her motherly affection. It was typical of my mother.

"Mom, I think I we discussed this more than a month before that I was going to Denver. You were the one who insisted I stop by before leaving."

My mother was the Chief of Surgery at Mystic Falls Hospital. My father's untimely death had made her a woman of determination. She had grieved her husband's death like a woman who had been stripped off her virtue. My father had been the pillar of strength of our increasingly depleting family. My mother however was a woman of strength, a woman of discipline and had been quick to collect herself and pick up the pieces. She was a dedicated surgeon, much like my father and quickly took over the chair he once commanded. And once she did, there was no looking back.

We had grown in the company of our ever changing caretakers – my brother and I. I had been fourteen when my parents had decided to shift back to their ancestral town much to my distaste after having been born in New York City. Mystic Falls was a boring place and I was convinced I would take to developing suicidal tendencies if I was to live in a place like it. I had been proven wrong however. This town had its very own secrets; secrets that were out in the open, but never spoken of.

The beeping of my mother's pager broke my train of thought. "Arianna, you did not tell me about your trip." She stated sternly, checking her pager. Before I could protest, she collected her medical journal and phone. "We will discuss about this when I return. You look tired darling, why don't you get some sleep?" she hurried towards the door.

Reluctantly, I walked upstairs towards my room. I could not help but walk in to my parent's room. The large mahogany bed still stood there, the curtains were of a different shade of beige. A vision clouded my mind,

_"Daddy, I want to sleep with you tonight." Little Arianna was a stubborn little girl. Only lately had she discovered that mommy had a very bouncy bed. She had naughtily jumped on it all day spoiling mommy's linen. No doubt her mother had been infuriated for she held her sheets very close to her heart, but the sound of her daughter's laughter and the mirth it brought to her face had been her redemption._

_"Of course my sweetheart. Why don't you come right here?" her father shifted making way for her, helping the little girl under the sheets till she looked insignificant on the large bed. "What did you do today?" he asked her stroking her head. Dr. Peter Griffiths adored his beautiful little daughter who was currently playing with his ancestral ring. She recited to him the events that had coursed through her day – the mild fight she had with Darla – their neighbor, over the color of the house they wanted to paint, the food that was cooked for her lunch which she chose to feed the rabbits without telling mommy, the fact that grandpa had infact fallen asleep when she had been reading 'Little Red Riding Hood' to him earlier during the day._

_She saw her mother come out of the dressing room slipping further into her blanket praying dearly that her mother had not heard of her exploits. Mrs. Eleanor Griffiths simply gave her a knowing smile and returned to drying her hair before the mirror. _

_Little Arianna continued to play with her father's ring as her words picked up pace until her tired little eyes gave her exhaustion away. Dr. Griffiths only smiled lovingly at his little daughter and pressed a kiss to her temple before picking her up gently and carrying her to her room, winking at his wife._

_" I'll be back in a minute."_

The picture before me began to fade and slowly melt into oblivion. I stammered back, my balance uneven. I could feel cold moisture beginning to assemble in my eyes. Closing the door behind me, I hurried to my bathroom. My hands mechanically found their way to the shower and pulled it open till I felt warm streams of water trickle down her forehead. I was grieving and afraid. I was afraid of all those memories I had tried very hard to shackle in the deepest recesses of my mind. Never had I once thought that my reality would be such a wide contrast if I was to compare then and now. Upon hearing the footsteps of someone I collected myself at once and hurriedly showered.

The bed was warm and inviting. Without giving it a second thought, I slipped out of my bathrobe and into my satin sleep shirt which had been laid out on my bed. I had questions, yes but decided that they could wait for later. For now, all I wanted was complete and unperturbed sleep.

* * *

_**Reviews are always welcome! :)**_


	3. Chapter 2

_Hello everyone! :)_

_I'd like to thank you for being kind and reading and a special thanks to** LyssaLoo62, BarbarafromGR **and** appreciation** for your reviews. It was very kind of you!_

_**LyssaLoo** - I hope I can live upto your expectations of finally reading an "M" rated Kol fanfic. I think you'll get a slice of it in this one!_

_**BarbarafromGR** - Here is the next installment. Thank you for being kind and reviewing. I hope I can expect more from you :)_

_**appreciation** - I am honored by your review honestly. It was so very encouraging and really lovely to believe that you liked my ideas and my style of writing, also you find the plot interesting. I hope I won't disappoint. And thank you so very much for favoriting this story. I hope I can expect more reviews from you as the chapters keep coming. Its reviews like yours along with the support that keeps one going! :)_

_Now, I won't keep you guys long._

_Happy Reading! :)_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Brother," Niklaus rested his hand on Kol's shoulder.

"We are family. Together, always and forever." He squeezed his shoulder tightly once before shutting the door behind him, leaving a disturbed Kol.

Kol seldom forgot that which had coursed and mother's treachery was clearly never going to be forgotten. Mother had been so kind, so giving. She had been his confidante. Everytime he was enraged, he was consoled by her. The emotions he felt upon seeing her alive after nearly 1000 years had been those which he hadn't felt since her untimely death and his father's dominance. She had been their protector.

Rage.

The venom of rage was beginning to form within him. It would soon take over him, he knew. All he could think of was treachery and nothing more. It was true that Niklaus was at fault for having dagger-ed him and his siblings time and time again, but he had shown his intention to bind them and bring them back to life. Mother however had betrayed their trust. She wanted to end their existence.

An abomination she was ashamed of – that was what she had called them, the children born out of her womb – her children.

He could feel a growl eliciting from the pits of his stomach as he dug his fingers into the hard wood table before him, ripping it into two.

The broken wood fell apart and Kol was beginning to realize how much it resembled the family he secretly craved. Ever since Henrick's death, nothing had ever been the same.

Henrick.

Oh how he had mourned the death of his youngest sibling. He had been particularly close to Henrick. He felt responsible for the untimely death of his younger brother. A feeling of wallowing was beginning to engulf him. He blamed himself for not having been the protector he had promised to his younger brother. He was the reason Henrick was no more. He was the reason mother had turned them into the creatures she so detested.

He knew he was being unreasonable, but he was livid; he felt murderous as he yanked a crystal vase off its base and threw it at the huge glass doors behind him shattering the glass into a million pieces.

The hurried click of heels distracted Kol momentarily. He focused on the source as it grew closer and closer. He could hear another thudding beat – the heartbeat of the anxious human. Venom began to pool in his mouth, his fangs itching as they reminded him of his true nature – the one he had dearly embraced.

The maid stood before him, shocked at the sight before her, panic-stricken at the appearance of the man who stood towering over her instantly. She dared not look at the monster. She could feel his cold breath on her jugular and all sensation in her body steadily ceased. She felt a sharp pang of pain jolt through her body as the monster slit the skin on her neck. The scent of the crimson liquid that trickled down the side of the girl's neck was tempting; incredibly so. But Kol was wicked. He enjoyed the chase, the struggle, the fear evident in the eyes of his victim.

He sunk his fangs into her limber skin as she twitched and writhed in pain, incapacitated by the monster latched on to her jugular. He pleasured himself slowly, tasting, cherishing and savoring the sweet taste of the crimson liquid that covered his face, never in haste. The helpless girl flailed to no avail until he pushed her onto the large bed, holding her hands above her head effortlessly only in a matter of seconds.

The staggering amount of blood loss made her feel dizzy and light-headed and she began to lose the remaining shreds of coherency she might have had. She felt herself give into the sensations that coursed through her body without questioning. She felt warm, light, weak, aroused. It was bittersweet – the feeling of immense pleasure coupled with pain. She could no longer hold back the moan that gave away her arousal making Kol's lip twitch in triumph.

'_Women!'_ Kol thought sardonically, _'Their conviction was weak, they could never be loyal, they could only please.'_ His hands covered the mounds of her breast and his expression abruptly grew dim. She wasn't as well equipped as he'd have liked.

Even as a boy he had been persnickety about his particulars. He despised wasting his precious time on things that did less than please him and currently, only the blood of the woman beneath him seemed to be of any interest to him.

Without the smallest shed of leniency, he bit into her neck to satisfy the growing thirst within him, to falsify the evidence of mother's treachery, to disregard the loss incurred because of him. He drowned himself in the feeling of self-satisfaction as the girl's shrill cries began to grow weaker and weaker till her eyes were lifeless.

* * *

_Arianna squirmed and twitched in her bed. Her slumber was anything but peaceful. A face constantly kept appearing and disappearing from her vision. She found herself running down several flights of stairs in a hurry, as if she was running for her life. The corridors she ran in were dark, not a spark of light in the periphery. All this while she felt a pair of eyes watching, a pair of feet following. Her heartbeat quickened as her feet tried to carry her as fast as they could, away from the creature that followed her._

_She felt fatigued and helpless, but she knew she had to keep running. Somewhere in the distance she could see a small beam of light flickering. She forced her feet forward, willed her body to not fail her. She was only a few meters away from it. She knew not what it was, but it looked like it promised safety._

"_You cannot fight me." A voice sang in her mind. It was foreign, nothing she had ever heard before. Deceptively exquisite though it sounded, it held a sinister tenor to it. She looked around helplessly to locate the source, but could find none._

_She continued her flight. "You cannot outrun me darling." _

"_Yes I can." She yelled back not knowing to whom. "And I will." Her determination seemed only too amusing to her tormentor. The man laughed at her childishness._

_She willed herself one last time, hurrying towards the door and finally entered the illuminated large white room. Her legs gave away her exhaustion and the transient adrenalin that coursed through her body began to wane. She collapsed on the cold marble floor. She couldn't breathe, she needed water. She looked around the room trying to gain some semblance but it puzzled her further._

_Where was she?_

"_Are you alright there, love?" a charming male voice sounded from the corner of the room. She looked at him befuddled._

"_Where am I?" She got up on her feet. "Who are you?" she couldn't see his face, only his stature. He was tall, had at least a few good inches on her, she could tell. His physique was lean and from the hazy blur that seemed to cover her mind she could distantly figure that the man was smirking._

"_How did a pretty little thing like you find her way to my lair?" his tone gave away his deceptive amusement, not his intentions however. It appeared that he had been scheming for a very long time. He moved towards the table pouring a glass of water for her. She stood her ground, not moving an inch trying desperately to see his face._

_He walked towards her, a glass of water in his hand. At the sight of water, her curiosity was momentarily forgotten. She took it without waiting to be offered and drank greedily like a parched little animal, mindlessly spilling a few drops on her skin._

_He kept watching her, kept following the trail that was created by drops of water that went astray from her mouth and traced their way into her negligible attire. His eyes were beginning to turn dark with desire. He moved closer to her, like a predator but with the gentleness of a lover. The glass of water fell from her fingers and broke into pieces as it met the hard ground._

"_What are you doing?" she questioned, moving away from him, her feet in sync with his. For every step he took towards her, she moved away from him. The man without a face continued to move towards her, chuckling. Arianna was beginning to panic._

"_Something I've wanted to do for a long time my dear." He chuckled darkly. She yelped with surprise when her back was met by the cold firm glass behind her. She was trapped._

_The man towered over her, cupping her face in his sinfully sturdy hands, his body flush against hers. "I told you you couldn't outrun me, didn't I?" her eyes grew wide with horror as she put together the pieces of the puzzle. She squirmed against his grip._

"_What do you want?" she flailed against him, her fists being rendered ineffectual by the strength of his physique. His scent was intoxicating. He only pressed further into her body bringing his lips to the sharp line of her jaw._

"_Your body." He murmured, his hands roaming freely on her waist, against the thin material of her sleep shirt. Her breathing hitched, heartbeat paced and the fighter's spirit in her died minutely. Her body began to react of its own free will. She arched her back, unknowingly, fitting into the body against her own as if it were a stubborn jigsaw._

"_Your innocence." His hand glided over her body to her bosom with dexterity matched by none. She gasped in pleasurable guilt. Her finger involuntarily intertwined in his hair as he pressed passionate chaste kisses down her throat and stopped much to her displeasure just where it met her shoulder. She let out a discontented moan. He chuckled; his breath on her skin was only fueling her uncontrolled arousal._

"_Your essence." He traced patterns on the inner recesses of her thighs, skin on skin. Her skin was exquisite. Her body was suddenly alert. She felt as if she was burning, only she enjoyed the sensations that coursed through her uninhabited. Never had she felt so liberated._

"_This is…. So… wrong." She panted between her uneven breathing. "Let me… let me see your face…" she pried her fingers to his face but he held them away._

"_Patience my little minx." His cold wet tongue licked the soft spot of her neck. Arianna flinched with pleasure, but her captor held her in place. He breathed in her scent while she kept squirming uncomfortably in his embrace. He was enjoying this encounter, the scent of her arousal, the scent of her…_

_The scent of her blood was sinfully saccharine. His fangs itched to acquire the red liquid. Only a drop, he was convincing himself. Only a drop for now and no more._

_Arianna steadily extracted the face of her lover with the last shred of will she had. She screamed in horror at the black veins she saw dancing around the hollowed eye sockets._

* * *

She woke up with a start, sweating profusely. Arianna did not know what to think of. She couldn't understand the relation of her dream with reality. The cold wet fabric of her sleep shirt clung to her body. She moved from under the duvet and reached for a glass of cold water. The door creaked open and she spun around with a fright.

"Aria?" It was her mother.

Eleanor flicked the light switch on and instantly tensed at the sight of her panic-stricken daughter. "Are you alright sweetheart?" she rushed to her daughter's side, stroking her hair soothingly.

Arianna simply leaned into her mother's embrace, feeling safe, but for a no more than a fleeting moment. "Aria, what happened?" Eleanor's voice was soft, reassuring.

"Bad dream." She muttered, snuggling further into her mother. "Just a bad dream." She repeated, trying to convince herself more than her mother. "It was just a bad dream mother."

Eleanor sighed worriedly as she kept stroking her daughter's hair softly. The ghosts of her past seemed to have resurfaced. But she had been doing so well. Her grades were up, she was publishing paper after paper, and her academic success was brilliant. Everytime they spoke, she sounded stress free, she was beginning to let her mother into her life, slowly learning to let down the walls she had built around herself.

"I'm here baby." Eleanor's voice broke, rough with emotion. "I'm right here."

While her mother reassured her trembling daughter, all Arianna could think, was of the vision of her tormentor – the one with the stature of Adonis and the face of a monster.

* * *

_**Okay, I am anxious to hear from you about this chapter.**_

_**Please be kind and review! **_


	4. Chapter 3

_Hello again everyone! _

_Thank you so much for your lovely reviews. As always, it always delights me! I'd thought sending a PM to everyone thanking them for their reviews, but I much prefer shout outs. I've always done that._

_As for this chapter, I'd say this - let the plot develop at its pace and I promise we'll understand Kol, Arianna and the story much better! :)_

_So, without wasting much time -_

_**BarbarafromGR** - Thank you so much for your review. And no, Arianna has had no prior experience with an immortal so it is absolutely safe to assume that the vision was completely Kol's doing! I hope you like this installment and be kind to review :)_

_**LucyRider17** - Thank you so much for that review! I hope my story keeps you equally interested further and I hope to see another review soon! :)_

_**appreciation** - Don't I simply love your reviews? Oh yes, I do! I totally understand about being picky when it comes to fanfics - I'm a victim too. What surprises me is some good ones have hardly any reviewers you know because of which the authors tend to abandon it. Its pretty bad. Anyway, I do not consider Kol to be "soft" or "romantic" to say in the least to be very honest. He is detached and twisted. A charmer most definitely, but the charmer who is as good as poison. I'm also trying to keep Arianna a little low-key for now and mysterious so that it leaves a bit for the reader's interpretation of her character. I've always believed one interpretation of a character is never the correct interpretation so all your reviews and thoughts would probably help me understand the way the character comes across too! As far as their first interaction goes, all I'm going to say is - Lets just wait and watch! Please do leave a review for this one too, I really look forward to hearing from you! :)_

_**LysaLoo62** - Thank you for your encouraging words! I hope to hear more from you :)_

_**Kathryne Buzolic** - I like that pen-name by the way :P Anyway, it's very big of you to put me at such a pedestal. I hope I can live up to your expectations and wish you luck with all your stories too! I hope to hear more from you! :)_

_**bettingonalice01** - Firstly, thank you so much for pointing that one out. (Although I was expecting no one noticed.) I happened to come across it only after having posted the chapter, which means I'll have to be more careful in the future. And don't worry about being "rude". I love constructive criticism, it only helps us improve! I hope this next chapter keeps you entertained! :)_

_**Cielja** - Thank you so much for your review! It makes me happy that you liked my story so far. I'd love to hear more from you! :)_

_Now now,_

_Happy Reading!_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Nate, wake up." A feminine voice called his name, momentarily disturbing him from his deep slumber. A ray of bright light flickered on his eyes making him irritable. He grumbled and turned to continue sleeping on his side.

"Nate man, come on. We gotta go." A male voice called out, giving him a playful kick on his back. He recognized the brazen gesture instantly. It was Gary, his classmate.

"Piss off dude." He sighed in exasperation and rolled on his back on the forest floor before sitting up, disgruntled to be woken up. Gary chuckled.

"What time is it?"

"Time to get to school handsome." He felt soft lips caressing his own as Lynette pulled him up with herself, his lips never once leaving hers. He smirked, pulling the redhead closer, against his body. She pushed him away playfully brushing the leaves off his messy hair.

Nate parted with his friends from the woods reluctantly, pulling out his earphones as he headed towards his house. To Nate his life was nothing short of a thespian film about a rich kid who had parental issues and a sister who couldn't care less. It probably served as the only feasible explanation as to why he had been so taken by the new group of friends he chanced upon one evening in the woods.

They were free-spirited, uninhabited. They helped him ease and rid the pent-up frustration that had culminated in him for years. They provided him with alcohol and illegal pot which his mother would never have approved of. He laughed sarcastically. She was hardly ever around to approve and disapprove of the acts of her son. The way he saw it, atleast it would get him some attention from his mother, good or bad.

His hoodie covered his hair from the moist dew of the morning. He hated Mystic Falls and the perpetually cold and wet weather. The boundary of his house finally appeared before him, only a few meters away. He would have to make a jump over the walls and enter through his window if he wanted to remain inconspicuous. It wasn't a problem for Nate. He was practiced. He had been sneaking out for over two years now, since he was fourteen.

Just as he was about to take to his usual drill of playing hide and seek before beginning to climb the fencing wall, a house keeper opened the rear gates and walked out carrying a polythene of trash, forgetting to close the gate behind her in the process. She was surely the new addition. Nate thanked his luck and made no haste in sneaking in.

He hurriedly made his way towards the back door and was just headed up the stairs when he felt a pair of eyes almost crafting holes into his back.

"Nathaniel Griffiths." A stern, shrill female voice sounded from the passageway and Nate made no mistake to recognize to who it belonged.

He turned around with much reluctance. "When did you get back?"

"Where were you?" she counter-questioned.

"What are you? My mother? Bossing me around?" he snapped, irritated.

"No, I'm your elder sister." She bit back stomping in anger towards him. "And because I'm the only one who can either save or kick your ass, you'd better be answerable for your whereabouts." She leaned close to his face and muttered angrily.

"Back off Aria. You've been back, what? One day?" he walked away from her hurrying towards his room upstairs. The silence was a clear indication that mother had already left for work.

"Nathaniel, don't you think I'm letting you off lightly." He heard his elder sister yell from downstairs. He was annoyed. He slammed his door shut pacing angrily in his room. He was livid.

He was angry at his sister for treating him like a petulant child. Angry at her for thinking that she could just waltz into his life after three long years and behave like nothing had changed, like he was still answerable to her; angry at her for pretending to care – angry that a part of him still believed that she probably did care.

He punched his fist into hard wood desk and winced in pain, retrieving his hand instantly. The clock on the wall reminded him that he was in desperate need to nurse his hurting hand and change in time for another nightmarish day of school.

He sniffed his clothes, hoping he could pass them off for the day but he smelled of alcohol and weed – lots of weed.

He definitely needed a shower.

* * *

A frown creased its way to Arianna's face at the retreating form of her younger brother. She was worried, incredibly so. She wondered what had changed so dramatically about her brother in her absence. She reminisced about the young boy of fourteen when she had left. He had pretended to be unmoved, but she knew he was upset over the prospect of losing his elder sister – the only one he could rely on.

What troubled her was, if she wasn't mistaken and by experience, she certainly couldn't have been mistaken – why she could smell traces of a terrible combination of marijuana and alcohol off her brother's clothes. Could it have been possible that Nate had taken to substance abuse? She pondered.

She shook her head with an exasperated sigh. It was too revolting an idea to even be given a thought. No, her brother was a good kid; a bit damaged maybe, but she trusted that he was definitely wise to avoid considering substance abuse as a solution to anything.

She decided she would have a word with Nate later. For now, there were more pressing issues that demanded her immediate attention – like the vibrating cell phone in her hand.

"I'm coming mom. 10 minutes." She certainly had a busy day before her.

The terrifying nightmare from the previous night would have to wait a little longer to gain her full attention.

* * *

Eleanor watched as her daughter assisted Dr. Wilder like a dedicated student as he taught her the basics of hypnosis, giving her a practical demonstration.

Arianna made her proud. Arianna had been through a lot, yes and though Eleanor would have never admitted to it, she knew she was to blame equally for their strained relationship. Her thoughts however were directed only in one direction – Arianna's nightmares seemed to have returned to haunt her. She knew better than to pester her daughter. Arianna had always been stubborn and unyielding even as a child, save to her late father.

Peter!

She sorely missed his presence through every day that she spent, hoping that she wasn't letting him down, hoping that she wasn't being a terrible mother to their children, and simply hoping.

"I'm tired. God I'm tired." Arianna walked into her mother's chamber without knocking, plopping herself on the couch at the other end of the room.

She picked up an apple from the coffee table before her and started biting into it like a starved child.

"So, how was your day?" Eleanor corrected her posture in her chair and looked at her daughter with a sweet smile.

"Umm, yeah t'was good I guess." Arianna deliberated for a moment, chewing her food. "Dr. Wilder is a really nice guy. Lots to learn." She nodded, continuing to give the apple her full attention.

The elder woman was cautious before she spoke next, for she knew they were clearly approaching a sensitive area and if not handled properly, she was at the risk of losing all that had been achieved over the past couple of years between her daughter and her.

"Dr. Wilder will be happy to have you as an intern." She tried to look busy, flipping papers from the file before her, attempting to look nonchalant about the statement she had just made.

The young brunette looked at her mother with a knowing look. "Mom, Denver is not negotiable." She finished curtly.

"I'm just saying darling." Her mother shrugged, casually. "This is after all your ancestral hospital built by your forefathers."

"Mom, this is Mystic Falls. No." Arianna's tempers were beginning to flare. She realized that off late her line of tolerance had been wearing thin.

"I haven't seen you in years Arianna; don't you think I am entitled to enjoy my daughter's company?" Eleanor suddenly burst out, tired of convincing her stubborn daughter.

She looked at her mother for a minute, contemplating. She couldn't put a word to the charge of emotions coursing through her. "Not at your convenience mother. Not at your convenience." Her voice was soft, breaking, almost inaudible, yet firm with a flicker of her characteristic obstinacy. Eleanor could see tears beginning to pool in her eyes but before she could say another word, Arianna had already exited her chamber. She could only hear the light click of the door and see her daughter's untamed burgundy hair.

Arianna walked towards the exit hurriedly not wanting to stay in the vicinity of her mother. She was hurt. She felt guilty for not being home more often. She felt guilty of the fact that she chose to stay away out of her volition. She leaned against the wall in one of the empty corridors.

The words from earlier that morning resurfaced. She felt blameworthy for her brother's disturbed teenage. She felt culpable for being selfish. A silent tear traced its path down her cheek. Irritated at the sign of weakness, she desiccated it roughly.

She sniffed, sinking her hands further into the pockets of her chinos when abruptly she felt the familiar mild pangs of pain in the internal muscles of her head. Before she knew, her vision turned blurred and she felt like she was losing herself to her nightmares again.

* * *

_A pretty blond girl lay on the hospital bed, the pace of her heartbeat steady. Her thick hair was fanned on the white pillows that her head rested on. She was enjoying her peaceful, quiet slumber with a contented smile spread on her face. _

_Her rhythmic breaths signified that her condition was stable; the IV drips had been stopped a while ago. Fast approaching from a distance, a petite brunette appeared. Arianna could vaguely remember the girl. She had a feeling that they'd known eachother._

_She watched from a distance as the two girls spoke in a low voice. Suddenly the blonde girl's expressions morphed from cheerfulness to one of utter terror and before Arianna could do anything, she saw the petite brunette smother the other girl with a pillow. The blonde struggled with all her might to push her captor off her, but failed miserably flailing all the while. _

_Gradually her flailing hands fell beside her, defeated and her sobs were no longer audible. The heart rate monitor only gave away a monotone signal. The brunette was careful to replace the pillow under the lifeless body of the girl._

_She quickly surveyed her surroundings before walking away from the ward. She turned around for a second, looking at the young blonde, smirking._

_A hint of recognition glimmered in Arianna's eyes._

* * *

The sight she had witnessed traumatized her to silence. With experience she had come to trust the truth in her visions. But could it really be? Beads of sweat were beginning to trickle down her forehead and she felt her fingers beginning to tremble. The cold night air from the open window gave her goosebumps and she could sense eeriness begin to cloud the air around her.

She felt a hand grasp her shoulder and yelped, turning around instantaneously, her skin pale, eyes wide.

Melanie looked at her friend's ashen face. "Arianna?" she smiled, a bit perplexed by the trembling appearance of the girl before her.

"Mel." She whispered softly, breathing deeply. Her shoulders slouched with relief and she closed her eyes as her friend embraced her.

"Are you alright?" Melanie asked, a bit concerned, directing them towards the closest seating area. Melanie caressed her friend's arm soothingly, resting Arianna's head on her shoulder.

"I'm… I'm okay…" Arianna panted, struggling to regain her composure. "I'm fine." She finally looked up at her friend and smiled. "Just… This place is creepy." She sounded exhausted.

"Yeah, tell me about it. About time they replaced that damn flickering light bulb." Melanie looked towards the empty corridor with distaste.

"So, you came back and I'm to know it from your mom?" she shot her friend an agonizing look.

"I'm sorry. I was about to call you today but you know mom…" she finished shaking her head.

"Yeah yeah. Tell me about it over beer." Melanie rolled her eyes at her friend and stood up pulling the brunette along with her. She smiled contented and they hurried towards the exit. Before leaving, Arianna looked one last time at the deserted corridor. The flickering light bulb seemed to have been fixed.

* * *

_**So, why bring Melanie into the picture? Any guesses? Should we keep her? **_

_**I've always loved reviews so very much. Please be kind by leaving a few! :)**_


	5. Chapter 4

_Hello!_

_Hope all of you had a pleasant week. I sure had a very very pleasant one thanks to all your lovely reviews!_

_Now without wasting anymore time, I'm going to address all my reviewers very quickly before you jump to the chapter._

_**bettingonalice** - I am too trust me! But I have no idea why Kol simply isn't allowing me to do just that right now. Patience, they shall meet and when they do meet in person, I promise it'll be all worth it! Do let me know what you thought of this one._

_**DreamsForTheDead** - To my personalized hero (as you already know) - You've been one amazing support. I've thanked you so many times, but I'll do it once again. And I am so anxious to hear from you about this one. And because your opinion matters so much to me, I take the liberty to command you to read and review :P_

_**WhatsGoingOn** - Thank you for that feedback - Melanie, well - Read on. That's all I'll say for now. Do let me know what you think._

_**LucyRider17** - I know! I felt just the same when I was writing this one, but I'm hoping that I'm going to be able to handle it a bit differently. Thank you for appreciating my story. Needless to say, I hope you enjoy this one just as much and let me know your opinion about it._

_**Cielja** - Very honestly - I'm not really into Pretty Little Liars, (Sorry! :P) I just have something with the letter 'A', so most of my OC(s) inveriably end up having their names beginning with 'A'. And you would not believe that I realized I'd named her brother 'Nathaniel' and it actually did happen to be after Nathaniel Buzolic himself until you pointed it out! Damn these characters, they really do make me forget! But now that you've pointed it out - I actually like it more! Thanks for the feedback, I hope you like this one. Please do leave a review._

_**CritiqueOfReason** - You are my second hero. Thank you so very much for the feedback and the encouragement. I was a little apprehensive about writing in first person myself, because I'm not the biggest fan of that but somehow it just came easier that way. I might change the POVs in due course too, just to break the monotony of my style of writing. And, yes - all those questions that are raging in your mind - the answers shall be here in due course. Just have a bit of patience! You'll be rewarded! Thank you so much again, and I so hope hearing again from you!_

_**VampDiaries4ever**- Everyone is impatient to see what their first encounter is like! Trust me, so am I. But I also want it to be just perfect. So, I'll tell you this - even though you'll probably have to wait a little longer - I have no intention of not having any Kol/Arianna interaction. There'll be plenty of Kol, trust me - considering this IS a Kol/OC fanfic. I look forward to hear more from you. Thank you for your encouraging words! :)_

_**Mahtabi** - Thank you for being such a dear and reviewing my fanfic. I'm really grateful And Damon - ah yes! I hate what they're doing to him on the show. I really wish I could change that you know! For now, I'd be happy to hear more from you!_

_Now onto the next chapter -_

_Happy Reading! :)_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The Mystic Grill was unusually bustling with people. Arianna made a face as her friend Melanie pulled on her hand, dragging her from the place she stood put.

"Oh come on now, don't be dramatic." Melanie sighed defeated, her hands on her hip.

Arianna looked at the exasperated face of her friend for a moment and a slow mischievous smile crept up her own. "You know, Tyler was right. You do look cute." If there was one thing that Melanie Strider hated, it was being called cute, least of all by one Tyler Lockwood who had attempted to kiss her in front of the whole school despite her being three years his senior. Arianna snorted at the pained expression on her friend's face. Clearly, she remembered.

Melanie narrowed her eyes at her friend, contemplating momentarily. She had decided to employ a different strategy to move her friend. Before Arianna could react, she was being pushed into the Mystic Grill with a force that could not be beckoned with. She laughed at the childish gesture of her friend and complied.

As the two ladies walked into the Grill, the three behind had an appearance of shock layering their face.

"She's back?" The petite brunette marveled, unable to comprehend the situation regarding the person she had seen.

"Guess she is." The little woman with golden-brown complexion muttered, a small smile playing on her lips, betraying the surprise of her friends.

"And she remains to be a fashion prude. Old habits die hard." The blonde looked with aversion at the woman wearing a pair of matching white chinos and chiffon shirt in company with a dark beige jacket and Oxford heels. The three of them eyed the laughing form of Arianna Griffiths with contrasting expressions.

* * *

Rebekah sat at the bar eyeing Matt Donovan, her latest love interest, inconspicuously. Even though the blond haired, blue eyed boy had refused her invitations on more occasions than one, she found it strange that her infatuation with him continued to lurk on. Under any other circumstance, she wouldn't have thought twice to snap the opposing human's neck in two, but here she was exercising control.

Maybe Kol had been right. Perhaps she was growing weak. She sighed dejectedly.

"Good evening little sister." The voice was unmistakable. She could recognize it without thought. Niklaus might have been her favorite, but there was only one brother who came to her aid when she most needed – the only one she could call her ally when committing a crime; the only one she could trust to bury the hatchet with or in their case, the corpse. She felt an odd rush of emotions convulse through her momentarily, her shoulders slumping. He hadn't forgotten her. Even if Niklaus had daggered her for his convenience and Elijah had taken to resuming his disappearing habits, _he_, had not forgotten her.

She was angry nevertheless. "Go away, Kol." Kol was quick to learn of his sister's transient anger. She had never been credible at concealing her human-like emotions. To him, she had always been an open book. It surprised him even, that his sister had not yet given up on her emotions, only to be hurt time and again. Surprisingly, even a thousand years had not been time enough for Rebekah to learn.

_Silly 'Bekah!_ He thought.

"Missed me, have you love?" he chuckled taking a seat next to his sister. He watched her with hilarity as the blond quarterback with whom his sister was so taken, appeared in the periphery of his vision. He sighed, "Poor 'Bekah, still pinning after her food. How pathetic!"shaking his head sideways_._

"Oh shut up Kol." She hissed under her breath, careful to look elsewhere hoping Matt had not heard their little banter. Kol laughed at his sister's peeved face and Rebekah couldn't help but let a smile slip her façade.

"Get me a Single Malt Scotch, will you darling?" Kol smiled charmingly at the server who arrived to refill Rebekah's glass. The server smiled at him, a faint shade of red coloring her facial skin as Kol scrutinized her form appreciatively.

"Oh stop being a debauchee, Kol." Rebekah reprimanded her brother when the girl walked away.

"Beauty must be celebrated 'Bekah." Kol muttered, his eyes on the black haired woman. The smile on his face was quickly replaced with an ominous smirk. It didn't take long for his sister to comprehend his true intentions. She smirked back at him, her eyes slowly directed towards the young server.

"_Tyler! It's so lovely to see you_." Kol's attention abruptly shifted from his impending prey to the vicinity from where the said words had been uttered. He had not a single doubt with regard to its proprietor. He trusted his conviction. Then what was it that had him so befuddled?

He turned to lay his eyes on her and much to his astonishment, before him stood once again his little mortal brunette. He felt unsteady upon her sight, unsure if he was hallucinating or still in pace with reality. She appeared to him even more striking than she had the first time he had laid eyes on her in the crowded bogey of a train. Kol let his eyes enjoy the sight of her and felt his eyes narrow with mischief upon realization that she had after all decided to refurbish her previously hideous wardrobe. How could it have been that wasn't possibly aware of the fact that his little mortal was a resident of this town, of his town?

Rebekah Mikaelson found it strange when her brother did not utter a word in retaliation. He always had the last word and seldom did he ever keep mum. She turned to find him staring at someone at the far end of the Grille.

Tyler Lockwood pulled out of the soft embrace of his childhood friend. "Look at you." He made a grandiose gesture at Arianna. She smiled, blushing slightly. "When did you come? Nate told me nothing."

"I'm just here for a day or two." She continued to make small talk deliberately making her friend squirm in discomfort. She was enjoying herself.

"Wait, you're leaving already? But you only just got back." Tyler looked at Arianna questioningly. The excitement in his voice slightly faltered to be replaced by what one would call a bit of glumness.

"Uh… yeah, I'll be leaving for Denver – got a course to do there."

"Old habits die hard don't they? You are still a geek." Tyler sighed.

"Guilty as charged." She laughed at his bogus frustration.

After a bit of inconspicuous stamping and punching on the part of her accomplice, Arianna finally bid adieu to Tyler and joined Melanie at the closest table.

"You did that to torture me." Melanie whined annoyed, flipping through the menu even though she knew what she was going to order for them. She always ordered for the two of them before Arianna had decided to relocate to England.

"I did not. I was just saying hello to an old friend." Arianna defended herself, feigning to be slighted at the accusation.

"Oh you did. You know I am averse to Tyler." Arianna chuckled looking at her friend. The door of the grille opened again eliciting with it the sound of two giggling girls. Arianna turned with curiosity to look at the merry party and froze at once. She remembered them now. They were the girls from the episode she had at the hospital. Her mind was racing. She couldn't fathom their dynamics; she couldn't comprehend how one of them was still alive. She was sure she had seen her being killed by the petite brunette who giggled with her.

Suddenly the blonde glared at Arianna as if she had just heard her thoughts, her eyes worried. Arianna quickly looked away turning to Melanie who was placing their order.

"Why do I feel like I know them?" she leaned and whispered conspiratorially to her friend, being careful not to point fingers at the merry party.

"Of course you know them, A. Caroline Forbes was the one who called you a Fashion Prude in school, remember?" Melanie chuckled at the memory. Arianna's dumb-founded expression had been lunch time gossip at school for over a week. What had taken both her and Melanie by surprise was the fact that if anything, Arianna had the most uncanny fashion sense in town.

"Caroline Forbes?"

"The blonde chic. Oh come on! You can't have forgotten her. Elena and she were always after your life." Another fit of laughter took over Melanie at the dismayed and bemused look on her friend's face.

"No wonder I never liked Mystic Falls."

Arianna was indebted to Melanie. She had practically been her only friend in Mystic Falls; supporting her through the painful phase of her father's death, her hallucinating episodes (as she called it back then), and the troubles she had at school. Melanie was her only confidante, her only ally. She conveniently played silent spectator, pleased as Melanie continued with another of her stories to which Arianna was paying little attention.

"And then Damon comes up to me and goes like-"she was stopped mid-sentence when a server arrived with a glass of red wine before them. "We didn't order that." Melanie looked confused between her friend and the black-haired girl who stood before them.

The girl turned to look at Arianna, "the gentleman at the bar over there," she pointed behind her, "he sent it for you." She smiled, offering her the drink. Melanie inhaled the scent of the appetizing red liquid. "Mhmm, _Château Petrus Pomerol_." She mumbled mesmerized. Arianna shook her head at her awestruck friend.

"_V__in exquis pour une femme exquise._" she wriggled her eyebrows at Arianna suggestively, making her laugh at her friend's candid French complimenting skills.

"When did you start speaking wine?" She muttered before taking the note that was tucked at the stem of the glass.

'**A gem, for a gem.**

**Kol.'**

It read. Arianna looked at the bar once again to spot her mysterious aficionado. She couldn't spot anyone other than a young blonde woman sipping on her wine.

"Who?" Arianna questioned.

"The gentleman at the bar." The server replied, an omnipresent smile never once leaving her face. She found it exceptionally strange. The people of this town were definitely queer.

"What does it say?" Melanie looked at Arianna excited, expectantly. Arianna rolled her eyes and gave her friend the note.

"Ooooh, a gem huh? Looks like someone has a secret admirer." she teased. Arianna turned to the server, deciding to turn down the offer. "I don't drink." She smiled politely and sent the server away.

"Why did you do that?" her friend asked surprised.

"Mel, I don't want to date." She laughed lightly. "Atleast not a guy from Mystic Falls anyway."

Her friend sighed in exasperation. She knew it was of little use attempting to make Arianna think otherwise. Her friend was pig-headed after all and she had come to humbly accept it like the cardinal truth.

"I'm going to the washroom." She declared and walked to the corner, leaving a contemplative Arianna to herself.

She looked at the parchment she had kept to herself. The writing of the script was eloquent, grand even. The strokes of ink on paper were articulate, carved to perfection. She could tell it was Edwardian and certainly did not belong to one of the present age. She wondered who the mysterious _"Kol"_ was. Arianna looked in the direction of the bar again. Even the blonde who had formerly occupied the bar had now disappeared.

The clenched fists of Kol Mikaelson made his knuckles white with anger. Never had he once been rejected like an artificial mink coat. He felt belittled by the audacity of the little mortal. He was determined to avenge his fallen pride. He wanted to avenge his wounded ego and he knew just the way to do so.

* * *

Arianna looked out at the fog-laden, clouded night sky. The weather had an eerie feel to it. It was dark, signifying that it was beginning to get pretty late in the night and it wouldn't be soon before her mother started worrying of her whereabouts.

She wondered where Melanie had been. She had informed Arianna that she was headed to the washroom but it had been good twenty minutes since.

Unexpectedly, a loud shrill cry resonated in the confined space of Mystic Grill. Arianna's heartbeat paced. It had come from the direction of the washroom.

"Mel?" She yelled at the top her voice pacing towards the washroom. "Mel?" her friend however did not reply.

When she reached the entrance of the washroom, she found the black haired server crouched over the bleeding body of a girl on the white washroom tiles. The tiles of the walls had changed their color from white to hues of red. Arianna stood frozen at her spot till her eyes landed on the mangled form of the wounded girl.

"Mel… Melanie." She rushed towards her unconscious friend who lay in a pool of blood.

"Call an ambulance." She shrieked, tears staining her face as she cradled her friend on her lap. The chiffon she wore too changed its color from white to the hues of red.

* * *

_**I'd love to hear what you guys think is in store!**_

_**Please be kind and leave a review. I'd love to hear how I fared! :)**_


	6. Chapter 5

_Hello again!_

_Honestly, I could pretty much say that at this moment I am a very very happy person (never mind what may happen next) and it is all because of the lovely reviews that I've got. I feels good when so much love is shared! Thank you all of you!_

_Also, I'll just like to mention that since I'll be back to college and a very busy schedule this coming week, I might just be able to update only on a weekly basis around Fridays/Saturdays depending on what I'll probably have in my hands and the workload that is waiting to pounce on me. I hope that is fine by all of you. I will try to update as frequently as possible, without compromising on the quality of this fanfic -it is rather dear to me. Which is why - I'm leaving you guys with an early update!_

_Now, as is customary, I'll go on to address my reviewers before we finally get onto the chapter._

_**DreamsForTheDead** - I am so sorry, you have a very long PM waiting for you and it should reach you in a few. I understand you've been very busy and trust me, so have I, infact I'm pretty sure that today is probably going to be my last day of freedom and then comes college! *Pheww* Thanks for the amazing review. I've taken into consideration ALL the suggestions you had. And see - I'm already putting one into effect - Its a Saturday :P Please be sure to leave a review and receive a PM soon! :D_

_**BarbarafromGR** - Its lovely to hear from you again! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far, I hope I can keep you interested for longer! Please do leave a review for this one too!_

_**LyssaLoo** - Thank you for your encouraging words. I hope to hear from you after this one too!_

_**Cielja** - Thank you for that valuable feedback. I was a bit apprehensive at first to involve ANYONE from Mystic Falls because, honestly - I don't want this to a typical Kol/OC fanfic where we have the Mystic Falls gang too involved and the OC ending up as the BFF of Elena Gilbert. No sir! As for Kol - well, be sure - I'm not going to portray him as a soft-melancholic romeo ever. Even his romanticism has an air of eccentricity! So, I'll leave you with this update and look forward to hearing from you!_

_**Kathryne Buzolic** - Hello again! Nice to hear from you. Umm, you didn't expect that - is that a good thing or a bad thing? I'm kind of confused. But, by the other part of your review - I'm thinking its a good thing. I hope you like whats coming up - please do share your opinion!_

_**CritiqueOfReason** - Someone happened to tell me you're here for the long haul? I really really hope so. Its such a pleasure reading your reviews. You are right, Kol DID compel that server. He has to be cocky doesn't he? And Arianna and teetotaler - Ha! Right. Okay :P Thank you for showing faith in my style of writing. It has only encouraged me to write more chapters! I'll be on the lookout for reviews!_

_**appreciation** - Hi! You know I was almost about to leave you a shout out last time saying - WHERE ARE YOU? Ha! But you totally made up. Thank you so much for reviewing. I've left you a PM so that I don't unnecessarily keep you here reading my note and let you proceed to the next chapter._

_**bettingonalice01** - Heres the next one for you! I look forward to what you have to say._

_**WhatsGoingOn** - Kol only keeps getting worse. You'll have to watch out :P_

_**LucyRider17** - He does have a pouty little ego - Doesn't he? I hope you like him though! _

_**ConsistentlyRandom21** - Hello! I really thank you for reading my fanfic and appreciating it. I'm glad you like what I've written so far and my portrayal of Kol. I intend to stay true to his nature - dark and psychotic. I completely look forward to hearing from you again!_

_**Lotheriel** - Thank you for being so so very kind and reviewing instantly. Its lovely to have reviewers like you who view the fanfics here with a matured mind. I'll always be looking forward to your reviews! Oh, and - you're the only one who had guessed correctly what the Melanie incident is going to lead to! - Enjoy!_

_**Snowberryxoxo** - Thank you, I'm honored beyond words that you read and gave me such lovely reviews. It makes me completely thank the insane part of my brain which asked me to impulsively PM you. I hope you like whats in store. I'm short of words to express my gratitude._

_**TinyDancer563** - HELLO! You're back and I am too! And I'm super excited to have you on board! I think I've already reiterated that a lot of times before. Please bear with me. But, I don't have to say that I look forward to hear from you right? :D_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Arianna watched her friend as she lay on the stretcher, IV attached to her veins. Melanie still looked anemic, her skin pale, drained of all color. Arianna had been terrified at the sight of her friend's bloody and mangled body. She couldn't fathom the events that were coursing around her. She had been acting purely upon impulse. Only now when she finally had the time to settle down did the gravity of the situation befall upon her.

She exhaled heavily covering her face with her sweaty palms. She felt giddy after having donated blood to her ailing friend. As the adrenalin began to dissipate from her system, warm tears pooled in her eyes threatening to fall over the rim. She sniffed, trying to hold them back as she thought about the events of the day.

It had been an absolutely terrible day.

By the end of her first day in Mystic Falls she had caught her younger brother taking to substance abuse, she had fought with her mother and for now, she was sitting outside the hospital ward of her ailing friend who had been hale and hearty not an hour ago.

All this while however, the question that clouded her mind was what exactly had happened to lead to such circumstances?

She couldn't comprehend how her friend had been reduced to her condition without so much as raising any alarm. Arianna knew that there was certainly something that was being kept secret. The Sherriff's expression clearly gave away her recognition of the wounds that covered Melanie's arms. She had to know what had happened to her friend; she had to know who it was that had put her in this predicament.

Trench coat in hand, Arianna looked around her surroundings one last time before she departed from the hospital for the night.

* * *

She stood before the cordoned off vicinity of Mystic Grill. Black and yellow pamphlets were plastered on the outer walls, prohibiting any civilian from entering the scene of crime. She however wasn't one to comply. With a gloved hand, she pushed open door.

The lights still illuminated the place, but not a soul was to be found. She looked around carefully for any trace of evidence she could find that would help her solve the clueless puzzle she was determined to find a solution to. Cigarette buds lay on one table, extinguished, a half empty glass of beer on another. She slowly ran her hands over the corners of the chairs and tables she passed, hoping they would reveal their story to her.

She began to feel the familiar jolt of pain in her head, her eyes struggling to enable her vision for long.

_The Mystic Grill was bustling with people. Matt Donovan was surely having a very tough time managing the crate of washed beer glasses he carried. Melanie Strider smiled at the blond boy. He smiled back, a bit flushed. The Donovan boy had always been a little infatuated with Melanie since he was little, but she knew as well as him that she was way out of his league. _

_Melanie Strider never dated younger men._

"_Do you need help with that?" she quirked an eye brow in his direction. Matt watched the way her lips curved to form a slight smile._

"_Uhh... no, umm... I've got this." He nodded, slightly abashed over stammering constantly. Melanie laughed softly and proceeded to the washroom._

_She secured the lock on the door and looked at the mirror before her, opening her sling bag to retrieve her comb. Just as she was about to put it away, the door of the small washroom opened to reveal the form of an exceedingly attractive young man, he looked to be in his early twenties. The dim light that lit the little area of the washroom fell upon the young man's features. To say he was good-looking was a gross understatement. Fazed brown hair, not too short but not long either, complemented by a pair of mischievous brown eyes, a hard jaw line and lips that were temptingly wicked. _

_Melanie couldn't recollect seeing him in town, surely he must have been one of the many travelers that kept coming and going._

"_Excuse me, sir?" she asserted herself angrily at the imprudent man. "Can't you see the washroom is occupied? How did you even get in?" _

_The young man with brown hair smiled, a twinkle reaching his eye. "Oh come on love, I thought we could have some fun, you and I." He moved towards her, an unforgivable smirk remaining an omnipresent feature of his angelic face. _

_Melanie's eyes quickly diverted from the man to the light click of the door lock. She was panicking, but she was determined to not let her face betray her._

_She stood her ground, eyeing the man and his inappropriate behavior with distaste. "I'll scream if you touch me." She warned, stepping slightly away from the man._

_The young man laughed. Arianna had heard the sound of that laughter before but she couldn't quite put a finger to it instantly. _

"_Now now darling, not many women do understand my fancies." He inched closer to her, his long fingers tracing her jaw line. Arianna remembered that gesture. She knew what was coming. "And women like you… who understand…" he breathed her scent, bringing his lips closer to the hollow of her neck, "are a rarity". He slowly, sliced through her supple skin, tasting her blood as her hands impatiently hit hard on his firm back._

"_Get away from me you monster." She yelled, her voice however remained muffled. She struggled with all her might. The man seemed not to move. Melanie tried to scream but her mouth was covered. He pressed the girl against the far wall of the little washroom, holding her hands tightly in his grasp, rendering her incapacitated. _

_Her vision seemed to take have taken a turn choreographically. The once good-looking man had morphed into a monster – the monster from her dreams. She thought she was hallucinating, she hoped desperately that it was a figment of her imagination and no more. She wanted to wake up. Arianna found her breathing grow uneven and soon her feet gave away. She collapsed._

_Latched onto Melanie's neck was the tormentor from her dreams – the creature with the stature of Adonis and the face of a monster._

* * *

Black.

It was the only color she saw when she awoke abruptly. She lay still, trying to comprehend her surroundings. The platform seemed softer, the ceilings bright and white. Cold breeze was gently swaying outside, the open window shades were rattling. Apart from the occasional calls of the creatures of nature, it was silent. It didn't take her long to realize that she was in the safe confines of her house. She could not recall how she had gotten home from the Mystic Grill.

She remembered the entrance of the Grill, she remembered the black and yellow stickers, she remembered the scene of crime, she remembered Melanie, she remembered the man, and she also remembered collapsing to the ground.

So that was it then, she had fainted.

She tried to shift from her bed, her whole body felt stiff and uneasy. She ached all over. Slowly and steadily she made her way to her bedroom door, careful not to lose her balance considering her mind still hadn't awoken from its state of stupor.

"Do you think… Was it…" she recognized her mother's voice immediately.

"Yes, it was…" the other woman replied. Arianna peaked trying to be inconspicuous. She knew it wasn't polite to eves drop on other's conversations but this was a pressing matter.

"Did Ms. Strider ever… consume…?" the other woman spoke, questioning her mother.

"No, not that I'm aware of, no." Her mother replied vehemently shaking her head. Arianna decided to make her presence known.

"Mom?" she descended the stairs.

"Arianna." Her mother was taken by surprise. "This… this is Sheriff Forbes." She pointed at the other woman. The small blond woman gave a tight lipped smile and shook Arianna's hand firmly.

"Hope you're not hurt?" she enquired.

"Sheriff Forbes' men found you unconscious at the Grill." Her mother explained.

"Yeah… I…" she grew self conscious. "I just wanted to… know what… happened."

"Arianna, I understand you are concerned about your friend, but we don't know what's out there." The sheriff briefly paused to glance at Eleanor Griffiths. It appeared that both women were keeping something in the dark and Arianna didn't quite miss the secretive glance that was shared. "So, let my men take care of it and we'll see who did this to her. Alright?" she held her hand reassuringly.

"I'll keep you posted." The sheriff looked one last time at Eleanor and nodded before she took her leave. Eleanor sighed.

"What were you doing there?" Eleanor questioned her daughter once she heard the light click of the door.

"I… just wanted to know… what happened." Arianna repeated. She couldn't disclose the details of her vision. Her mother would only question her sanity again.

"You could have been killed Arianna. Your recklessness amazes me. Do you not understand the gravity of this situation?"

"No maa, I don't." Arianna bit back. "I don't understand because there is something you're not telling me."

It was obvious that Eleanor was taken aback momentarily at Arianna's outburst. She hoped she hadn't made it too obvious. "It was just an animal attack Arianna, nothing else. We've run the tests, she has been put on IV and a constant supply of blood is being administered. She'll be fine."

Arianna had never seen her mother struggling for words. She knew her mother was trying desperately to keep skeletons in the closet. She was shivering for crying out loud! She would not have it, however. "I saw those marks mom. I saw them on her neck, on her wrist." Her opaque determined eyes reminded Eleanor of her late husband. She was just as determined, just as stubborn. More often than not, it was that characteristic trait that always seemed to have gotten both of them into trouble. "If you're sticking to that story, the animal was a bloody neat animal I'd gather." She muttered sarcastically.

"Arianna…" he mother looked at her, contemplating, her voice soft and unsure.

"What is it that you're not telling me mom?" she pressed her case further.

Eleanor paced worriedly in a dilemma, thinking if it was appropriate to make known to her daughter the secrets of the town, the secret existence of the world of immortals. After giving it much thought, she convinced herself that it was probably the only way she could keep her daughter safe. She needed a guarantee however, "Promise me that you will have no part in this. That you will let the Sherriff and her men look after it." Arianna wanted to protest, but decided against it considering it the only wise solution. She merely nodded.

Eleanor walked to the library, making herself comfortable before the cracking fire from the burning logs. "The Griffiths family was one of the founding families of the town of Mystic Falls…" she began.

* * *

That night Kol Mikaelson was rather pleased with himself. The look of utter horror on the face of the poor little beauty had reinstated his belief in the proverbial saying – revenge was a dish best served cold. He smiled to himself, downing another glass of his favorite blended scotch.

"Kol, are you not coming?" he had barely noticed his sister's arrival.

"No Bekah, I prefer sitting here and whiling away my time while Nik and you do all the dirty ground work." A sense of unmistakable merriment prevailed in his voice.

"You sound too happy?" Rebekah enquired suspiciously. Kol simply smirked at his sister, unyielding.

"'Bekah." Niklaus called their sister, entering the room.

"Are you two over your chit-chat?" their brother seemed livid. Probably his beloved little infant vampire had turned his affections down again.

"Kol wants to let this one pass." Rebekah sighed dejectedly. Niklaus looked at his brother questioningly, confirming the same. Kol simply shrugged and took another sip from his scotch filled glass.

Niklaus nodded at his brother as the two original siblings paced to the door, glancing once at his younger sibling, "Be careful, brother." And they were gone for the night.

After his sixth drink for the night, Kol was bored. The alcohol was slowly making its induced effect feel known making him giddy and light-headed. Kol needed amusement and he knew just where to go looking for it.

* * *

_Kol leaned against the bark of an old fir tree watching the brunette beauty, still deep in her slumber. It wouldn't be long before he terrorized her again, he knew._

_Oh how he loved this cat and mouse game they played time and time again. It was positively delightful. _

_It troubled him however that he did not yet know her name. Kol wondered what it could have been while his little mortal still slept in peace. She looked to him like an innocent damsel in distress, a naïve little girl, a forbidden beauty. _

_He searched his thousand year resourceful mind wondering what name could have been apt for her. Could it have been Adeline?_

_Was it Antoinette? Or Agatha? Or Annabelle?_

_Could she have been a Matilda? A Margaret? A Marie?_

_Oh the possibilities! Kol smiled to himself shaking his head._

_At a distance his little mortal was beginning to twitch. She was clearly vexed. He waited patiently for her to join him in their little compulsion induced dream world. She twitched uncomfortably, her hair a little shabby with entangled dried leaves sticking out of it. Kol simply stared at her as she got to her feet pulling at the seams of her night gown._

_The color blue suited her; it made her look more appetizing than ever. Kol wondered how she was oblivious of the things she could do to him, she was doing to him. She appeared lost and he decided to help her with her little confusion, only by confusing her further. He chuckled._

"_Hello my darling." The voice was familiar._

"_Who are you?" she questioned, cautiously trying to locate the source of the voice. She felt the same feeling of frustration nib at her from the previous night._

"_Your… what was it that you'd called me?" a sense of playful torment clouded the exquisite voice. "Ah yes! Your secret admirer." Arianna's eyes grew wide with shock. She could feel the presence of another behind her. She was beginning to panic. The winds in her vicinity picked pace, her thin nightgown swaying like slaves to the forces of nature._

"_No one rejects an offer made by me, love." She could feel the breath of the man on her skin instantly. It was warm, contrasting the frigid temperature of her environment. His fingers traced the length of her neck delicately and she shuddered at his touch. "Kol…" she whispered, with recognition._

_She had said his name. He had made her say his name and it had sounded like the most sensuous word to have ever been uttered. Kol couldn't fathom the rush of feelings coursing through his body. But ofcourse he couldn't – he had never been a creature of profound thought – he was impulsive. He lived in the moment._

_An unknowing frenzy took over him as he grabbed the girl's waist and sped to corner her against a tree. She was clearly taken by surprise for she did not retaliate. Her fingers dug into the bark of the tree she was pinned against as the man played with her delicate body._

_She could feel his cold fingers dancing around over her heated skin. She could think of words to say, but couldn't form a coherent sentence. She could sense the imminent danger but couldn't devoid herself of the satisfaction she was acquiring. She was guilty, but she was pleasured._

_Kol untied the small knot that was holding her robe securely in place to reveal slightly her glistening skin. His mind struggled to process the images his eyes were capturing at the sight that was before him. She was exquisite. Her skin, the perfect color of peach and tan under the full moon. Kol's eyes traced the contours on her neck gliding swiftly to her jaw line till it rested on her beatific face. Her eyes were closed, hair – wild, lips parted. Kol felt his self control waning. He wanted to have her. He wanted to have her on the forest floor, in the lap of Mother Nature, under the moon, marking his claim on her before the world. _

_As some semblance began to cloud Arianna's mind, she realized the need to put an end to their little encounter. She would not have it. She tried to pry out of his steely grasp._

"_Oh my minx, impatient as ever." Kol chuckled at her vague attempt of retaliation. She was fighting him, just like he wanted. She was fighting him and he was enjoying it immensely. He loved the way her little ineffectual fists beat against his chest. He pulled her closer to himself, and before she could utter another word, his mouth covered her soft lips and her body relaxed, leaning onto Kol for support._

_His dangerously intoxicating scent had her swooning with pleasure. She felt herself guiltily respond to his unasked desires. Arianna forced herself against Kol with a force so strong that had him almost unsteady, almost. His fingers had already begun running along the length of her shapely legs making it harder for Arianna to hold back her moan. Her left leg involuntarily wrapped around his hip as if it seemed only too natural for her to do so, as if she had been doing just that for ages. He tilted her head trying to gain access into her mouth. His lips were intense, hungry and passionate. It felt like he hadn't been satiated in a very long time. It was purely animalistic. She tugged at the hair at the nape of his neck, urging unconsciously his primal nature to set itself free. Kol growled at the unprecedented show of lust and his fangs lightly grazed her soft lower lips._

_If he found the scent of her potent, the taste of her blood was sending him into a spiraling frenzy. Sweeter, more compelling and a delicious thick red. The unusual metallic taste of blood touched Arianna's taste buds and the horrific realization of her predicament fell upon her. Comprehending her precarious situation, she pushed Kol away with all her might, her eyes hostile._

"_You really do enjoy being punished, do you not?" Kol was momentarily taken aback by her impudence, his pride was on the edge of being wounded again. His expression however did not reveal to her the boiling rage within him. He was adept at being deceptive. _

_She looked more ravishing than ever before, her eyes hostile yet hesitant, her face determined yet anxious, the irregular wind playing havoc with her long burgundy hair. The slender brunette glared at him, red drops of liquid glistening on her supple lips. He had tasted it. He had tasted her._

_She looked around herself, searching for the most immediate exit. "The chase… It's always more entertaining when they beg, push, run…" the man's words were sending shivers down Arianna's spine. If she wanted her life, she had to flee; she couldn't stand there and be a mute spectator while her tormentor relished in her helplessness. Without thinking twice she ran into the dark woods behind her._

"_You cannot outrun me sweetheart; I thought you'd have known better after our previous engagement." Tears were beginning to pool once again in her eyes. She hated being so miserably weak. She wanted this dream to end. She felt wretched, filthy even at her actions, thinking about the fact that she was licentiously lustfully attracted towards the monster who wanted to kill her. Her body desired him._

"_What is your name?" the voice sounded from the deep recesses of the unknown forest._

"_Annabelle?" His voice still sounded divinely seductive to her. She was feeling conflicted, but she had to keep running._

_The harsh, unruly forest floor scratched and pierced into the delicate skin of her bare feet. "Elizabeth?" Kol enjoyed this tormenting game. He made the rules and he knew how it would end._

"_Alright, here's my last try." He feigned frustration, albeit his voice heaving with merriment it brought to his soul. _

_In a desperate attempt to save her life, Arianna hid behind a tree, praying dearly to wake up, to flee the dark tormenting woods she was lost in. Hot and salty liquid uninhibitedly streamed down her cheeks as she tried to suppress her pain. She covered her mouth with her hands, willing herself to be stronger, hoping that the monster in the woods would pass._

_She waited a few minutes in silence; the angry wounds on her feet were beginning to burn. She was met with an eerie silence; even the willowing winds were mute. She peaked from behind the bark of the tree stealthily. Kol was nowhere in sight. "You can do this. Arianna you're strong." She muttered to her subconscious, slowly extracting herself from the shelter of the large-canopied tree. A twig snapped under her feet and she froze, waiting for the impending doom to settle. _

"_Caught you, Arianna." He whispered in her ear from behind her. She closed her eyes and knew her end was near. She had resigned to her fate._

"_Oh look at you." The man pulled her chin up, "you're pitiable, darling." He snapped at her angrily. "Atleast Melanie… tried to fight for her life." Arianna's eyes snapped open, traumatized. She was staring at the man with fazed brown hair, mischievous brown eyes and wickedly tempting lips… until it morphed into the monster of her dreams._

_He knew then that she was aware it had been Kol's doing. "Liked my little gift, did you love?" he smiled charmingly at her._

"_Kol…" she whispered horror-struck as his face steadily morphed into the monster that he was. He wasted little time to sink his fangs into her supple skin. His body had only been craving that delicious crimson liquid for too long… needless to say, the brunette beauty too._

* * *

It was a night of celebration in the Mikaelson manor. Kol was euphoric with his strange victory and had no intention of sharing details.

"Oh come on here you pretty little thing." He waved at the black-haired girl who had been their server previously upon their visit to Mystic Grill.

She smiled widely and walked towards Kol obediently. He bit into her wrist unforgiving, and pushed the girl towards his younger sibling. "Have at it 'Bekah." He smirked, contented.

She quirked an eyebrow at him. Kol had never been selfless or generous in the least, especially in the matter of appetite. He might have shared, but he did not donate.

"Consider it as a gift, baby sister."

Rebekah shook her head at the retreating form of her psychopathic brother. She however had more pressing issues to handle – like the itch in her throat and the red liquid that fell from the silly smiling girl's wrist onto the carpeted floor. She had always liked clean carpets.

* * *

_**What say? Good? Bad? Kol? Not Kol? **_

_**I want to hear everything! Please review! :)**_


	7. Chapter 6

_Hello everyone!_

_I sincerely hope this week has been good for all of you. I have been extremely busy as I'd mentioned and I apologize for not having replied to your reviews earlier._

_I do hope however that you have found your replies in your Inbox! Now, because I couldn't reply to so many reviews on here, I've managed to address each of you in your PM(s) and I'll give you guys a shout out for being lovely and reviewing._

_A Huge thanks to - **WhatsGoingOn**, **Mrs. Buzolic**, **LysaLoo62**,,** piratejessieswaby**, **bettingonalice01** for your reviews and encouraging words. It feels lovely be appreciated._

_And a special thanks to - **LucyRider17**, **appreciation**, **Cielja**, **ConsistentlyRandom21**, **CritiqueOfReason**, **Snowberryxoxo**, **BarbarafromGr**, **DreamsForTheDead**,** Kathryne Buzolic**, **TinyDancer563 **for sharing your views and leaving me such lovely reviews. You guys hold a very special place in my heart._

_Also, I'd like to give a special thanks to my friend and my beta - Apini. She's beyond awesome. And without her help, I don't think I'd be able to put this one up!_

_So,_

_Happy Reading everyone!_

_**Disclaimer : Everything in this chapter is owned by its rightful proprietor. The author owns nothing but the plot and the OC.**_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Eleanor woke up to the shrill cries of her daughter from the room at the far end of the floor.

"Aria?" she hurriedly got out of her bed and rushed towards her daughter's room, the robe lying on the chair, completely forgotten.

Arianna crumbled to the ground, clutching her night dress, sobbing uncontrollably. She couldn't identify with her surroundings. An excruciating pain gripped her heart, she felt as if her life force was being plucked out of her, slow and steadily. Her painful screams, emanating from the washroom she had cornered herself in.

"Arianna…" she heard the terrified voice of her mother. She looked at her mother with pleading eyes. "Make is stop maa." She wailed as her mother collected her in her arms. "Make it stop… I can't take this." She wrapped her arms around her mother's waist, clutching to her form tightly. Eleanor did not know what to say to her traumatized daughter. She simply held her close to her heart, swaying her back and forth, running her hands through her hair soothingly.

"Sssh baby, it'll be alright." Eleanor closed her eyes resting her face on her daughter's head. She was trembling, her terrified sobs violent, her body pale and skin deathly cold. She was petrified. "It's hurting me mom." She cried, "It's going to kill me." Her mother couldn't understand much but kept running her fingers through her hair, singing to her the same song she had when Arianna had still been little and had nightmares.

'_You are everything I need to see,_

_Smile and sunlight makes her way to me.'_

Arianna's sobs were beginning to visibly reduce. Her skin was still cold as ice, her form still trembling. Eleanor continued.

'_Love incarnate looking into me,_

_Breaths of moonlight washing over me._

_Can I show you what you are for me?'_

Arianna listened, absolutely unmoving, silent, to her mother's calming voice. Her mind had yet not recovered from her near death experience. She closed her eyelids tightly. The last of her tears escaped and rolled onto her already stained cheek. It reminded her of the wild woods she had envisioned not too long ago. A shiver crept up her spine; she tried to concentrate harder on her mother's voice.

'_Angel of mine, can I thank you._

_You have saved me time and time again._

_Angel, I must confess,_

_It's you that always give me strength._

_And I don't know where I'd be without you.'_

She felt stiff and exhausted by the weight of the situation she found herself in, the helplessness that engulfed her. Never before had she experienced such fear – the fear of death.

_Back in the arms of my angel,_

_Back to peace that I so love,_

_Back in the arms of my angel I can finally rest, _

_Feeling you again around me._

Eleanor could hear the soft breathing of her daughter, could feel her shoulder muscles beginning to relax, her head resting on her lap after a while. She sighed; an ancient sadness gripped her heart. She did not realize when a single tear spilled from her tired eyes. She felt enormously at bay concerning her daughter's condition. Peter and she had spent years trying to discern the mystery of Arianna's parapsychological condition. Even after attending several medical conferences with regard to parapsychology and reading volumes on the subject, almost nothing had come forth as a solution.

After Peter's untimely death, Arianna had submerged herself in books and surprisingly found solace in them. She would often take to reading the old journals of her deceased father which had often bothered Eleanor but she thought better of it, not too strong to deal with the anomaly of her daughter's unusual psychology. Occasionally Arianna did complain of mild headaches but they had never been too pressing. It seemed now that Eleanor had mistaken it to be the calm at the end of the storm. She felt culpable. Closing her eyes, she rested her tired shoulders against the cold tiled wall of the bathroom. Her hand continued to caress her daughter's sleeping form on her lap.

* * *

The following morning, Arianna hesitantly descended the stairs for breakfast the following morning. She wasn't too sure if she was ready to offer an explanation to her mother with respect to her tirade the previous night. She was unsure of her nightmare herself. She couldn't decipher if it had been her subconscious thinking of supernaturalism – vampires and werewolves, what her mother had spoken of the previous night - the secrets of this uncanny little town or if Kol was nothing but a figment of her imagination.

She was fearful however. It made her question her sanity for the first time in years. Could it have been possible she was suffering from an abnormal psychological condition?

Maybe it was paranoia? She panicked momentarily. She was well aware of the consequences, the diagnosis of the mental condition, the drastic limits to which it could drive one.

"Good morning sweetheart." Her mother appeared at the bottom of the stairway. She looked at her mother instantly, visibly disturbed and then her eyes fell to the ground. Her mother smiled at her slightly, putting an arm around her.

"Have breakfast with me." Arianna was taken aback at her mother's unexpected demonstration of affection. She did not resist and smiled weakly at her mother, letting her lead the way.

Arianna was pleasantly surprised to talk to her mother candidly in what had been a very long time. Her mother seemed cheerful and in the mood to talk. She was being generous with her time today, not having glanced at her wrist watch even once. She shared with her the embarrassing long forgotten stories of Arianna's childhood – of the times when Arianna had once taken to violent measures and smeared ice-cream on her classmate's face who she hadn't taken a liking to. She was sure her mother had confused her brother for her, but Eleanor had insisted it was her daughter. Her son, Nathaniel had been a milder, an emotionally weaker child.

Speaking of, he wasn't to be found anywhere. "Where is Nathaniel?" she enquired of one of the domestic helps.

Before the elder woman could respond to her mistress' question, Arianna sprung to the defense of her brother without thinking, "He's sleeping."

Eleanor looked between Arianna and the older woman who simply nodded. "Very well then," she wiped her hands with the napkin on her lap and begun to assemble her belongings, the older woman helping her with her blazer.

"Will you be coming today?" she asked her daughter cautiously. Arianna stole a brief glance at the caretaker before responding to her mother's question. It did not miss Eleanor's experienced eyes however.

"Umm, yeah… I'll stop by to see Mel." She confirmed with her mother.

As she watched the retreating form of her mother, her mind pondered over the whereabouts of her younger brother. She had lied for him to their mother and she was only hoping he wasn't going to let her down.

* * *

Melanie's condition had been stable for the past few hours. Although it would take her a few more hours to gain consciousness and recuperate, it was safe to say that she wasn't hanging onto the thin line between life and death anyway.

Mrs. Strider, Melanie's mother had been devastated upon hearing of her daughter's accident. When Arianna had arrived that morning, the old woman had broken down before her and only after much convincing had she agreed to go home and sleep for a few hours. Arianna sat by her friend's bed, contemplating.

Melanie looked so fragile, so pale. She had looked anything but, not twenty four hours ago. Arianna looked intently at the bandages that covered the wounds on her neck and wrist. She delicately placed her hand on the plaster that kept Melanie's left leg still in place. Her right arm was in a similar condition. Arianna felt guilty. If she was to believe that the events her vision had shown her and couple it with the violent nightmare she had, it was true that the culprit of Melanie's condition was Kol. The reason however for his action was her doing. She was clearly at the root of this situation and she loathed herself. Even though she couldn't even begin to process the idea of having been the reason for her friend's horrifying condition, she could not escape the truth. She was responsible.

A wave of culpability plagued her. She was determined nevertheless to right what had been wronged. She couldn't have been sure if it was indeed Kol's doing, but instinctively she knew. She decided she was definitely going to seek help from the authorities concerned. The knowing look on the Sheriff's face last night had made Arianna believe enough that if there was one who could help her, it was Elizabeth Forbes.

"Sleeping beauty still not up?" a masculine voice spoke from the entrance of the room. At the door stood a man dressed in black carrying a bunch of white lilies. His electrifying blue eyes were intimidating, his physique tall and lean. He wasn't slender, no. His shoulders were broad, his hair as dark as the night and his face as divine as that of the fabled Greek gods. "Maybe she needs a kiss from Prince Charming!" he muttered, sighing in feigned exasperation.

"You would be?" Arianna asked suspiciously. The man eyed her when she directed the question at him. Clearly, he hadn't seen her before. He smirked at her slightly, walking to the vase at the bedside of Melanie and placing the lilies in the water that filled it.

"Ah, you must be the sidekick I've heard so much about?" The man had charming wit, Arianna couldn't deny. But Kol had been charmingly witty too. She stiffened at the thought of Kol again. The man noticed her involuntary shift in position. "Don't worry. I don't bite." He smirked at her imitating the action and Arianna felt shaken. A small whimper escaped her mouth upon hearing his words but she was quick to compose herself. She couldn't be weak now, no. The man however had already turned to stare at her with dubious eyes.

"You didn't answer my question." She bit back harshly at the intruder. The man narrowed his eyes at the miffed brunette. "Damon Salvatore." He finally answered without beating around the bush. He was the man her friend had been talking about the previous night. If only she had paid more attention. Arianna felt irritated. Was it common place for the men in Mystic Falls to be ridiculously attractive and exceedingly witty and diabolical?

"It wasn't an animal attack." She didn't know why she thought it essential to divulge that piece of information without knowing the identity of the man she was making conversation with.

"I know." He traced an agile finger on Melanie's cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Arianna was momentarily taken aback by his answer. She hadn't been expecting acceptance. He assessed the injuries that had been sustained by her friend as if he knew the truth. She looked at the soft expression on his face which quickly morphed into anger. He looked upset, like he would detonate, but was quick to conceal his emotions. She wondered who he was to Melanie.

His acceptance only encouraged Arianna further, not knowing how she was going to substantiate her accusation. For a moment she feared he'd challenge her insanity just as much, but she had to take a chance. She had to know that 'Kol' wasn't just a figment of her imagination, that the monster that lurked in her mind truly did exist. "It was Kol." She now had his undivided attention. Damon looked at the girl suspiciously. Her eyes didn't shy away from his stern gaze.

"Are you sure?" He certainly didn't sound too happy about what he had discerned. Arianna merely nodded.

Melanie stirred slightly, her stupor being sidelined momentarily. Arianna was at her side. She looked at her friend's worried face. "Hey…" she whispered weakly.

"Mel." Arianna smiled at her friend. "How do you feel?"

"Stiff." She sighed, trying to push herself to a sitting position. The syringes on her hands made her yelp in pain. "Careful there, baby Denise." She smiled lazily at the man standing beside her who was helping her rectify her position. The moniker had been given to her the first time she had bumped into a very drunk and seductive Damon at the Grill. She apparently had a very striking resemblance to the stunning blonde actress and talked just as much. She was thus rechristened to 'baby Denise'.

"Damon." He rolled his eyes at her saccharine sweet smile. She was well aware it made him uncomfortable. "I thought you didn't care." Her smile widened upon noticing his obvious awkwardness. Arianna couldn't quite understand the dynamics between the man and her friend; he seemed harmless none the less. At least that was what she thought.

"What happened, Mel?" she couldn't hold back the curiosity that raged in her mind. She knew exactly, but she needed to confirm it with her friend.

Melanie was blank. "I don't know. I guess I blacked out… I can't quite… remember." She looked confused, unsure of how she had found herself in this predicament. "Maybe it was the alcohol that got into my system." Arianna was entirely not convinced. She knew Melanie had quite the tolerance to alcohol that would put most men to shame. Why they had consumed not even a single pint of beer that night. The gory scene in of the little washroom could not possibly have been the doing of an excessive bout of alcohol, it was too unbelievable. Damon eyed her skeptically.

Melanie's eyes were drooping again. She yawned. "I hate these meds, they alwa-" her mouth formed an adorable 'o' as she yawned again. "So sleepy…" she whispered, comfortably positioning her head amidst the fluffy pillows.

"Kol?" Damon looked at Arianna doubtfully. "Kol Mikaelson?" she nodded, not knowing his last name, but she believed that a man that notorious could only have had a reputation preceding him.

Damon didn't need conclusive evidence. What he'd witnessed was evidence enough.

* * *

Elizabeth Forbes was accompanied by Damon Salvatore and Arianna Griffiths when she happened to meet with the female original. She was still dithering; unsure whether she should believe her friend and the young Arianna Griffiths over the very little evidence she had collected to substantiate their direct accusation. Of one thing she was sure however, it had definitely been the doing of a vampire.

"Ms. Mikaelson?" an oblivious Rebekah Mikaelson turned to look at Sherriff Forbes. An unexpected smile covered her face but abruptly morphed into a frown upon the sight of the man beside her.

"Yes, how can I help you Sheriff Forbes?" she smiled politely. It was uncharacteristic of her, however she was feeling generous.

"I just wanted to enquire with you about the whereabouts of your brother." Elizabeth Forbes was a woman of few words. She believed in approaching the problem at hand directly instead of employing tact and diplomacy. Also, she was a bit reluctant to be questioning this hot-headed original vampire instead of sedating her with vervain and coercing answers out of her. The blonde vampire's face grew hostile, devoid of any friendliness that might have previously been perceptible.

"I'm sure you already know of Nik's whereabouts." She was struggling to keep her temper, narrowing her eyes at the older woman before her. Her smile was sarcastic and she certainly looked very lively with a bit of temper.

"We're talking of your other brother Ms. Mikaelson. Kol Mikaelson." Rebekah's eyes grew steely.

"He's not been in town… for awhile." The sinister smile on her face was familiar to Arianna. She had seen it before. She had seen it on her brother's face. Even though they looked starkly different, there were similarities one couldn't tell without looking too close.

"You're lying." Rebekah's attention was now centered at the brunette who stood before her. She hadn't noticed her presence before, thinking of her as only too trivial to be observed. Her defiance angered Rebekah. She had never been spoken to in a condescending manner before, least of all by a human. Even Niklaus had treated her with more dignity, or so she felt.

"Ah, I remember you." She smirked at Arianna calmly, eyeing her as though the purpose of her existence was only one, and one alone – to satiate the growing need of thirst in her throat. "You were at the Grill last night." She couldn't quite believe Kol had spared her even after making eyes at her the previous night. She wasn't complaining however. She admired her brother's taste. This brunette did look appetizing, seemed like a sumptuous meal.

"If you're looking for Kol, you're looking in the wrong place." She looked at Arianna one last time before leaving. She was itching to kill, but she wouldn't mind sharing with her brother. He had after all been the reason she had chanced upon her meal. Besides, she owed Kol a favor and Rebekah wasn't one who owed anything to anyone. It was the one thing the originals had in common.

Elizabeth Forbes and Damon Salvatore looked at a disappointed Arianna with a glum expression.

"I don't believe her." Damon muttered once the blond had divorced their company, contemplative.

* * *

"I've got a gift for you." Rebekah's sly whisper shook Kol out of his reverie.

"What is it 'Bekah?" even though he concealed his agitation, Rebekah knew him better. He was unhappy to be disturbed from his novel.

"Your little mortal – the one who was making you swirly from last night?" She now enjoyed her brother's undivided attention. She smirked triumphantly at him. "I've found her. And I'm going to kill her." Her voice had an air of nonchalance in it as she buffed her nails.

Kol was enraged. He stood towering over his sister, looking down at her with eyes filled of cold admonition. His words however were smooth, composed, almost playful. He was a master at deception. "You will do no such thing, silly 'Bekah." Rebekah was taken aback, not quite expecting the reaction she had received. Then again, when had Kol ever been predictable? It was a trait resident of her nature.

"Why? She looks very, enticing to me." She pushed further, a spark of challenge shone bright in her eye. Kol's hard glare only gave his inner turmoil away. The mortal was his little toy and he never shared that on which he had already staked his claim. She lingered in his senses, he had tasted her and she had been delicious, living beyond his fanciest expectations. He wouldn't allow another to lay so much as a finger on her, pollute the purity, the divinity of the crimson liquid that coursed through her veins, even if that meant rivaling family for it. This, her, he wasn't ready to share.

"Oh, hit a nerve, did I dear brother?" Rebekah taunted him; she was enjoying the sight of a mildly infuriated Kol. She knew she was his equal if it ever came to a battle of words. They took turns at winning the said battles. Kol unlike his sister was adamant. To him, this was no game for more than two.

Rebekah walked away leaving an irate Kol behind her. She knew she had just raised the stakes higher. She also knew her brother's love for challenges. She was confident that he would thank her later.

Kol however, had a mind of his own.

* * *

**_So - what guesses do we have for Kol's plans here? _**

**_Please be kind and leave a review. I will always be looking forward to it! :)_**


	8. Chapter 7

_I consider myself the luckiest author on this site. (And I don't really want to know who is statistically the luckiest.)_

_Fact of the matter? - I have a few readers and they are the better half of most of the fanfiction reviewers! Really, you guys leave me such amazing reviews and they are only multiplying in number. It is a dream for any author. _

_I loved how very perceptive and imaginative each of your reviews are! Not only do they delight me, but most of you guys guess so much and even if I've not written of it in my following chapters, I go back to those chapters, incorporate and rewrite the chapter! Such lovely ideas. I think at some point I'll probably have to delegate the IP to everyone! Haha!_

_Okay now onto shoutouts - _

_**TinyDancer563 -** Rebekah is awesomely bitchy, ain't she? You're going to get a lot more of her in this Chapter! I can't wait to hear from you._

_**bettingonalice01** - Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy the next one._

_**Snowberryxoxo** - Rebekah does make it challenging, doesn't she? I love her the second best after Kol of course. And their interaction? Even if it was a little, I fell in love with them and I picture my brother and I :P_

_**LucyRider17** - Oh yes he is. He is such a demented thing. He might as well stake his claim on her. But No! Adamant little thing. Lets see what he does!_

_**LysaLoo62** - Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy the next one._

_**WhatsGoingOn -** Kol kidnapping her? I'll think of that soon. Thank you for the idea! Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy the next one._

_**ConsistentlyRandom21** - Thank you so much for your review. Honestly, I'm so glad you liked the way the chapter played out. I was kind of a bit nervous of how everyone would perceive the introduction of Damon and the challenge between Kol and Rebekah. Thank you for encouraging me! I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapter! Please do leave a review. _

_**Meisryee** - Thank you so so very much for being kind and reviewing each and every chapter. It makes me very happy to hear that we share a liking for the same characters and also that I can write to your liking. It makes me very happy when my readers appreciate and share their views with me. Please keep doing so and trust me I'll try to be as generous as I can and reward you with awesome chapters! I hope to hear from you again!_

_**Ceilja** - You know I never really didn't think of Arianna knowing what was in her father's journals. But now that you've mentioned, I'm going to add onto that and try to put that into some chapter. It was a pretty awesome idea. Thank you so much! As for Eleanor - honestly, after the latest episode, I"m beginning to worry for her if she is similar to Carol Lockwood. And true about Damon - don't think he sticks too long apart from being fixated to Elena. But oh well! _

_**DreamsForTheDead** - I love your reviews man. And you already know that. Your guessing made me rethink and kind of rewrite the next chapter you know. I haven't even got it done yet. So much for trying to write over the weekend. Guess what - I wrote nothing. And you know what - I'm going to write you a PM very soon because if I write more here - I'm probably going to have to skip this chapter. _

_**CritiqueOfReason** - I literally cracked up at "creepy kid"! Uh-oh after you've mentioned that I've literally made Arianna the bait, I'm beginning to get scared for her. I hope she doesn't hate me. Honestly, with the way its going - I won't quite blame her if she hated me. And I'm going to leave you to read the next chapter and wait patiently for the review._

_**appreciation** - You know, your reviews are awesome. They give me so much of perspective. Don't kill me for what I do to Rebekah (temporarily). She'll be around a LOT more trust me. So no love lost there. As for Damon and Kol - there will be a fight, oh yes. Boys will always be boys. Lets see who comes out on top though. That'll be something! Damon and Aria - Oh yes, they will be... well, not friends per se - but I'd like to say Bonnie and Damon like save most of the hate. Anyway - I'll patiently wait for your review for this one and see what you make of everything._

_Now everyone,_

_Happy Reading!_

* * *

**Chapter 7 **

The December air was rather frosty. The sun had faded into oblivion much sooner than it normally would have, probably nearing the solstice. Arianna scrunched her face. She walked out the doors of the Mystic Falls Hospital, fidgeting with the buttons of her pea-coat.

The parking lot was deserted save a few cars, perpetually fog-laden. She still felt a bit uneasy, had never gotten accustomed to the quiet of a small town. No, she was still very much a city girl. She narrowed her eyes, deciding if it was best to make a run for her vehicle or if it posed her a threat of slipping on the moist ground. She decided against running.

Rebekah watched the brunette from afar, as she swiftly made her way to her car. She couldn't help but scoff at her mismatched attire. She could have educated the girl with some dressing sense. Only, she wasn't going to keep her alive for too long. Rebekah revved her engine and followed her, being as inconspicuous as she could. The memories from the morning were still fresh in her mind. Rebekah hadn't forgotten the accusatory look in her eyes and she wasn't one who appreciated it, no matter who it might have come from. Her orderly blonde hair flew across her face as the cold wind caressed her skin. She however, felt no change in the temperature. She was cold, just as the wind that billowed outside.

Rebekah's inconspicuous act, however, had not missed the eyes of the man who had just left the hospital a little after having to put up with a tirade by Dr. Meredith Fell.

* * *

After spending the majority of her day in the hospital, Arianna was in dire need of a distraction. She found herself standing before the Mystic Falls Public Library. Books had always been her oldest and fondest companions.

She searched for a genre that would interest her while browsing through several classics. She had read most of them time and time again, never quite tiring of them. Arianna was an avid reader. After huffing and puffing and going through a number of books, she finally came across one that she was willing to re-read. She tried to pry it out of the ill-stacked lot, careful not to drop another in the process.

However, she was unsuccessful. A black leather bound book fell with a thud to the ground. She turned to pick it up and restack it but was momentarily fascinated with the dilapidated covering though it still managed to look rather grand. She turned it around to see what it was.

'_Mystic Falls – Know your city… and its folklore_', it read, the words embossed in golden print. Arianna put down the other book she had picked up. She flipped open the tattered book, its pages were stained. It looked a good many years old.

"Can I help you?" a masculine voice shook her out of her reverie. She looked at the man who was looking down at her, a bright attractive smile covering his face. He was tall, he certainly had a good physique, twinkling greenish eyes and he wore his dark-brown hair a bit curly. The slight stubble on his face seemed rather appealing on his angular face.

When Arianna didn't reply and continued staring at him, he arched his eyebrow. She quickly looked away. Staring was rude, and she was taught better, no matter how often her nerve co-ordination might have failed her.

"I'm good." She replied reciprocating his smile and hurriedly got to her feet, forgetting about the books she had left on the floor.

He eyed her a bit charily at first, the smile never leaving his face once. "Let me get that for you." He retrieved the book she had left discarded on the floor.

"Mystic Falls – Know you city and_… its folklore_." He read the title and looked at her quizzically, always smiling.

"I like knowing the history." She replied nonchalantly.

"Fair enough, to each his own." The man was charming. She was beginning to wonder what had happened to the uninteresting town she had known – a town full of people she would have hardly ever noticed and vice-versa, a town she was confident that had not a single person who could in the slightest come across as attractive or mildly tolerable to her. The men, in particular, of Mystic Falls had definitely had a charmingly witty makeover.

Seeing that Arianna had not replied, he realized she wasn't ready to make conversation. He pushed no further. He handed her the book and giving her one last smile left. Relieved upon his departure, she quickly found herself a cozy well-lit corner to enhance her knowledge on the folklore of Mystic Falls.

* * *

Rebekah despised being made to wait, especially when it came to matters of appetite. Being raised in the company of manipulative siblings and even more manipulative parents, coupled with the thousand years she had walked on the planet, she had come to learn that patience was a virtue, well rewarded more often than not.

It was with Kol afterall that she had first learnt to hunt and he had been a good teacher. Niklaus' company might have caused a slight variation, but she remembered Kol's teachings. She watched with the eyes of the trained predator she was, as her prey walked out of the Public Library. She promptly made her way to conceal her presence. She wanted to take her by surprise. It had rather been entertaining to watch poor Elena Gilbert's reaction not many nights ago.

Elijah had been there to protect her though and sour Rebekah's to be fun-filled night. This one however, who would be her protector? She did seem a rather reclusive being.

"Hello love." Seeing the little brunette yelp in surprise, a look of fear in her eyes was already proving to be worth the wait. She could only have imagined how much her brother would love tormenting this one.

Alas! He wasn't to be found in the vicinity.

"Rebekah-"

"Don't." Rebekah cut her off. She felt humiliated knowing the very fact that the mortal before her, who she considered beneath her, just looking at the hideous attire she had draped herself in, had even the audacity to take her name.

Arianna looked at the blonde quizzically. "What are you doing here?" her tenor was dry, irritated even. The book she had chanced upon had left her even more confused than her mother's story before. She had thought of it as nothing, but a myth. It couldn't possibly be. None of those theories had been supported with scientific evidence. What had troubled her was the fact that her mother, being a knowledgeable woman had been one to believe folklore – a myth.

"You really are a curious thing aren't you?" The blonde circled around Arianna. Rebekah inhaled the scent of her; it was exotic, rustic, not the usual blend that could be found in Mystic Falls. "And you know what they say about curiosity?" she continued her little show of dramatics before standing before the brunette, meeting her eye. She was momentarily taken aback by the look of disdain in her eyes. This girl seemed a bit dim-witted to Rebekah. She had no sense of self preservation for here she stood adamantly rooted to the ground glaring at a thousand year old original. One with a combustible temperament no less!

"No?" Rebekah laughed a bit sarcastically at the brunette. "Well, I don't mind educating you – curiosity killed the cat." Arianna was in the least bit interested in the theatrics that were being put up before her. She just wanted to go home.

"Look, just… stop wasting my time and get out of the way." She muttered dryly at Rebekah. When she saw the blonde glare at her, she added to her request, "please."

When Rebekah didn't move, she decided to meander over to her vehicle. Before unlocking the doors however, she did turn over and decide on correcting the egoistical blonde. "Oh Rebekah?" she enjoyed her full attention.

"You never completed that one." Arianna smiled at her sarcastically. "Curiosity killed the cat… but, satisfaction brought it back." Rebekah was fuming.

"How dare you." Her eyes turned into pools of black, black veins resurfaced on her once pale skin and she hurried towards the insolent human. She lurched for her jugular but before she could, a piece of wood was being stuck into her flesh. Her body was stunned by the excruciating pain she experienced in the moment. Her eyes fell on Damon Salvatore.

"Sorry Bex, you can't kill her." He smirked at her before snapping her neck and tossing her limp body on the ground.

Arianna stood absolutely shaken, resolute like a sculpture, unable to process that which had just coursed before her.

"This is the part where you proclaim me your hero." Damon muttered dryly, thoroughly disappointed by the reaction on Arianna's face.

Abruptly, she burst out into a fit of laughter. He couldn't understand the complexity that was her mind. Most of them screamed, some were mute but no one had laughed after witnessing the staking of a vampire and the simultaneous snapping of their neck. He just looked at her thoroughly bewildered.

Arianna fell to the ground, supporting her back against the door of her car, laughing at the absurdity of what had just occurred before her. She had only read about supernaturalism in fiction novels which had left her unimpressed on most occasions. She had believed her mother's tales to be nothing but folklore. The book she had chanced upon, she had condoned it as falsehood. But how was she to justify what she had just seen?

She laughed harder; her eyes were beginning to water. Not more than a few minutes ago she had put her life in danger. Again. And she had witnessed the staking of a vampire. To add a cherry on the cake, she had also only discovered that the demon that existed in her dream, the demon that was Kol, indeed did exist in reality. Her laughter slowly morphed into uncontrolled helpless sobs. Her body had a history of being poorly receptive to shock inducing circumstances.

Damon knew this reaction only too well. He could piece together that Arianna was hysterical. He had never been one who could handle emotions well however. No, that was Stefan's area of expertise, but what was he to do when a young woman was in hysterics sitting before a 'dead' original who would be extremely murderous and thirsty for her blood once she regained conscious.

He did the only thing his ego would have allowed him. Damon gently pulled Arianna onto her feet, "Let's get you home." He soothed her, holding her close to him and maneuvered her over to the passenger side. Arianna clung to him, unsure of her surroundings, unaware of her actions. She was silent, her eyes however were blank. She was shaking, her temperature, cold and skin, pale.

"Do something for me, will you?" he extracted her from him, bending to match her eye level. Her eyes were still fixed on the ground below her. "Arianna…" he cupped her face in his big hands. She felt too tiny and insignificant. "Where are your keys?" he spoke cautiously, hoping she would respond. It took her a moment to process what she was being asked for. She knew nothing about this man save that he meant something to Melanie and that he had just given her a second chance at life.

Her unsteady fingers retrieved the keys to her car from her pockets and she dropped it in his hands. A silent prayer crossed her mind before she stumbled into her car.

'_Please let me reach home safe.'_

* * *

Kol was enraged. After carrying the barely conscious form of his baby sister into the manor, he was enraged beyond words. Even if he might have stayed missing in action only to defy his sister, he hadn't been able to prevent himself from watching his sister. He was adamant. Even in his playfulness, he knew what he wanted, what was his.

He had been a mute spectator to Rebekah's little theatrics, waiting for her to pounce on her prey. It was his master plan however, to ruin her most opportune moment though. The barely conscious body of the blond quarter back was at arms distance from where he watched. He would have made a perfect bait. Only, it had been Damon Salvatore who had replaced him for the part.

He had watched from afar, the manner in which Rebekah's body had fallen to the ground, the elder Salvatore's single handed gallantry, and the hysterics of Arianna Griffiths. He had also watched the way he had held her, the way she clung to him, their intimacy. It only infuriated him further – the sight of another man laying his hands on her. The intimacy they had appeared to share in those minute moments kept replaying in his head, only fueling his madness.

He paced through the silent dark woods; the cold breeze that swept through his hair, on his face was a welcome distraction. Kol had always loved running through these woods. It was liberating. In them, he could be the monster he chose to be without the slightest thought, in them he could reveal his true animalistic self without calculated deception, they were his cob-webs, it was his maze and he, the only mastermind.

His feet suddenly came to an absolute standstill. In the distance he could hear the crackling of woods, smell the scent of burnt logs but there was more. There were humans, there was food. There – was his distraction, just the one that would satiate him.

He walked closer to the source of illumination. He could hear giggling and loud laughter. By the sound of it, the merry party was definitely underage. Kol's smirk grew wider, the inanity of petty mortals never ceased to amuse him. Had they never been read bedtime stories of _'boogeyman'_? He chuckled darkly to himself.

Too bad they hadn't. A little forewarning was always been better. He concealed himself behind the bark of the wide fir tree. He closed his eyes and relished in the light breeze that billowed around him. The winds held in them the aroma of the moist earth, the cracking woods, alcohol and blood and something uniquely familiar. His eyes snapped open abruptly. It wasn't the same, he could tell, but similar.

He walked closer, trying to recognize the source. The scent only grew more potent. It wasn't the same; no, but it was very similar with marked differences. It lacked the spice; it lacked the natural scent he knew could only have belonged to one. One and no other.

"Dude, your sisters gonna be so pissed when she finds out man." The lanky blond boy directed the statement at the shady teenager who was sitting in a corner, resting against the bark of a tree.

"Whatever man, not like I fuckin' care." His tone was dry, frustrated.

"Prove it then." A feminine voice this time.

Nate looked at Lynette with questioning eyes. "What?"

"Prove it that you don't give a shit about what your sister says." She eyed him challenging.

"What do you want me to do?" The young teenager shrugged, not really in the mood for picking up a scrap and certainly not with the girl he secretly craved.

She eyed the white piece of jewellery that was barely visible from under the cuffs of his sweatshirt. "She gave that you, didn't she?"

Nate looked at her skeptically. "So?"

"If you really don't care," she began cautiously, knowing she was walking on thin ice, "throw it away." Nate looked at Lynette incredulously. She seemed to be decisive about her demands. He then turned his eyes to Gary. "Dude, seriously?"

"You heard her man." He chuckled, taking a smoke off his bud. "Gotta prove it that big sister had no hold on you."

Nate eyed the bracelet one last time before unbuckling it. It had been a gift to him from Arianna on his fourteenth birthday before she had decided to divorce him from her life and leave him to fend for himself. "Fuck you Arianna…" he muttered agitated, before throwing it in the air.

Lynette rushed to catch it, giggling in excitement. It was something she had had her eyes on for a very long time.

A sinister smirk covered Kol's face. Not only had he chanced upon his dinner, but also his favorite dish, which happened to be best served when cold – revenge.

And then, it hit him all rapidly. Henrick too had the same shade of brown hair. Henrick too was lanky in stature. Henrick too had eyes that expressed more than words. But Henrick had been taken. He could never see Henrick again. The familiar feeling of hedonism seemed to have found its way into his mind. He felt as if he was an appalling elder brother. He hadn't protected Henrick, and now – his little sister. He had failed again. Why was she to be blessed with a sibling she could take less care of than he had of Henrick?

He growled angrily, bringing about him, utter silence. Clearly, the merry party had felt his presence. He enjoyed this power over the mortals.

'_Sibling for sibling'_. Kol thought to himself in sinful amusement.

* * *

Arianna had only just gotten settled, steadily recovering from her tirade when she was met with an ear curling shriek from the backyard. She eyed her mother suspiciously as Eleanor put her medical journal down.

The shrieking didn't stop however.

Panicked, they hurried to inspect the site and the cause of such alarm.

Eleanor gasped in horror at the sight of her son. "Nathaniel." She placed his head in her lap, hoping desperately for her son to awaken, but there was no sign of conscious. Tears pooled in her eyes. Arianna stood horrified at the sight.

"Sterilize my equipment, I'm going to stitch him up." She yelled at one of the caretakers. She checked his pulse, "come on baby, you can't give up on me like that." She muttered it like a constant prayer until she found a waning slow steady beat.

"Help me get him upstairs." The other caretaker assisted Eleanor as they carried the wounded boy into the house.

Arianna noticed a small parchment of paper that fell off Nate's pocket. Too stunned to be of any help, she picked it up. It was damp with moisture, stained with blood but the script was the identical skilful Edwardian script she had seen before.

'_Sibling for sibling.'_ It read.

* * *

_**Need I say how much I'm dying to hear from all of you?**_

_**Please leave a review! :)**_

_**Also - Do you think this is the end of Kol's revenge?**_

_**And where would you like this story to lead? **_

_**Perception perceptions!**_


	9. Chapter 8

_Hello again!_

_I'm so sorry to have kept you guys waiting for the next update. Trust me when I say that my college positively hates its students over burdening us with a billion things before the break. *phew*._

_Anyway onto better things - Thank you all so so much for your amazing reviews. I've loved the contrasting opinions of everyone with regard to Kol's attack on Arianna's brother and I've enjoyed both - the positive and negative equally. _

_This chapter - well, this chapter is in for a long awaited (for me) plot twist. I hope you guys enjoy it._

_Now without wasting much of your time - I'll just get onto addressing each of you._

_**TinyDancer563** - I am so sorry for not having replied to your PM yet. You must think of me a twit. But, now that I have time I WILL reply to your PM ASAP. I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion about this chapter!_

_**Snowberryxoxo** - You know, I've got something planned along those lines - What if Kol gets jealous seeing Arianna with another man. What'll he do then?! Wil be quite interesting, won't it? Its not too far away. I promise! _

_**Meisyree** - Thank you so much for being so very nice and assuring me that you'll always review. Nothing makes me happier than to hear things like that! Also, as I've always said to all of my readers so far - here, in this story, Kol is a crazed psycho. Psychos don't change over a day. What ticks them off and what makes them tortured is something I intend to understand over the course of my writing and with the help of all your reviews!_

_**LysaaLoo** - Thank you so much for your review. I hope you like the next one too!_

_**DreamsForTheDead** - Good Lord. I know I have a PM to respond to. Trust me it'll be a long one. I have been so tied up with everything off late but I have time now. Finally I have some time! Thank dear good lord for it. Remember I was talking to you about the plot twist and was skeptical about how everyone might take it? Well, here it is. And I'm nervous as hell! And about Kol harming anyone of Arianna's kith? I'd never let him kill, because I don't think I'd want her to be with him in that case. She'd rather become some crazed revenge seeking vampire hunter which is more kick-ass! Okay, I'm writing you a PM and telling you a million other things I want to._

_**WhatsGoingOn** - Thanks for you review! I'm looking forward to your take on this one!_

_**LucyRider17** - Oh he is, isn't he? I'd guess this was all because of sheer jealousy, anger and ofcourse a twisted little glitch in his brain. I hope you find the portrayal of Kol alright so far? Please let me know what you think!_

_**unternasty** - Thank you so very much for the compliment. It makes me happy when my story is appreciated and makes me want to write more. I hope to hear from you again!_

_**CritiqueOfReason** - Professor Shane, well well - I'm not saying anything *grins*. Jealousy and Kol - why ofcourse that's an upcoming chapter. Don't you worry about that!_

_**Lotheriel** - Welcome back! I still have to review your chapter 5. I promise that's happening soon! Thank you so much for your reviews one after another, I think I'm going to have to write you a PM with all I want to say, so be sure to check your inbox! For now, I'm dying to hear from you for this one. And good luck with your story! Hope the upcoming chapters are coming along well._

_**Cielja** - I'm glad you understood that Kol was being absolutely unreasonable when he attacked Nate, which is exactly why I'd like to think it was so very in his character to do so. When have crazed psychos ever made sense. They just need a triggering point with as unreasonable a reason that suits them best. I'm glad you think I've gotten Rebekah right on because she intends to stay here more than her other siblings other than Kol. I hope you like this chapter too, and please do tell me how you thought it was!_

_**appreciation** - The previous chapter has really missed your review. I hope to hear from you after this one! :)_

_Now, to all of you -_

_Happy Reading! :)_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Kol waited in the woods, at a distance from the Salvatore Boarding House. The lights from within shone brightly. The light bantering of two males was the only sound he could perceive within the periphery of his hearing.

He was wicked, vengeful, murderous even. Why was he to spare the elder Salvatore if he was to punish his little brunette toy?

No, he certainly wasn't to be spared and with good reason. It was time the young vampire learned to respect the originals – the source of his species.

It was yet another unending night for Damon. He couldn't begin to put words to the fight he had with his holier-than-thou sibling. They both knew well though that he would do what was his perception of the right thing. He was one-track minded after all. And when it came to issues regarding Melanie, he was the only one who had the privilege to decide.

It was settled. He was going to help her heal. He was going to feed her his blood and it was final. He downed another glass of bourbon.

Was the petite wounded young blonde even aware of the existence of vampires? He wondered. It made him curious to know her perception of the creatures of the dark. Would she laugh it off? Would she be hysterical and loathe him? He certainly didn't want her to loathe him. He groaned. When was the last time Damon Salvatore wanted someone to not loathe him? Why was he thinking along the same lines? It was Melanie. Ofcourse he wanted to think along those lines.

Amidst his musing, he was instantly reminded of her friend – Arianna Griffiths. She was peculiar. He thought of the fit of hysteria that had overcome her not too many hours ago. He couldn't quite comprehend what had catalyzed her strangely odd reaction.

Light thuds on the wooden floor of the boarding house distracted him instantly. He put his glass on the counter and headed to the foyer, the sound of footsteps only quickening. Damon cautiously looked around for its source, the scent of which was unfamiliar.

He followed the leading footsteps.

The wooden door of the basement was left open, a small source of light illuminating the dingy enclosure. He pushed it open and walked in, surveying the quite that surrounded him.

Before his reflexes could come to his aid, before his heightened vampire abilities could be of any use to him, before he could prepare himself for combat, he was incapacitated. He looked at the source of pain in his otherwise agile body and watched with horror as a wooden stake pierced his abdomen. He tried to pull it out but his fingers burned. It had been laced with vervain.

As he tried to stand, another blow was dealt onto his knees.

"Relax Darling." Kol chuckled in sadistic pleasure as he watched him writhe in pain.

"Oh you son of a bitch." Damon muttered angrily struggling for air.

"Ah, you know the problem with you young ones?" Kol happily circled the pained vampire. "You know little respect." He caught a piece of wood, his own hands burning in the process. He cared little however, he would recover sooner than an others, he was an original. The stake was laced with vervain.

"About time you were taught." Damon couldn't have been more thankful for having a brother, no matter their differences at that instant. Before the sordid foreign object even pierced his hard skin, the younger Salvatore had intervened knocking the vengeful original away. He knew he had it coming after their very polite encounter, the evening of the ball initiated by mama original.

He shifted himself, leaning against a wall – weakened by the staggering amount of blood loss from the sudden attack as he heard his brother struggling against the original in the foyer.

* * *

Nathaniel lay unconscious on his bed, his face bruised. It appeared that the perpetrator of the crime, the one who might have been responsible for his wounded condition wasn't particularly careful in his actions. Then there was the possibility that his wounds might have worsened because of the way he was delivered.

Eleanor watched her son; a bandage was plastered on the left side of his neck. She was thankful for having found him while the slight traces of his waning pulse were still present. She ran her fingers through his roughened brown hair affectionately, her eyes heavy with emotion.

The past few days had been rough.

It seemed to her that the men of the Griffiths family were doomed to the same fate.

"Mom?" Eleanor was so lost in thought that the small voice of her daughter momentarily startled her.

Arianna watched her mother's tired eyes as they stared back at her, blank. She walked to her side and quietly sat on the floor, resting her head on her mother's lap.

Both watched Nathaniel with hope and sorrow as he continued to lay unconscious, fighting reflexively for his life.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

The bright gleams of the morning sun sieved in through the unevenly pulled blinds of Nathaniel's bedroom.

Arianna stirred slightly, a little miffed and pained by the stiff position she found herself in. Her head rested on the fluffy cushion of the rocking chair. She had fallen asleep on her mother's lap. Eleanor however was not to be found. She cast a glance at the watch that continued to tick on the side table. It was clear to her now that mother must have left for the hospital hours ago.

She turned to look at her brother. He was gaining consciousness slow and steadily.

"Hey!" She moved to sit beside him on his bed; her eyes tired and sagging.

Nathaniel looked at his sister who wore a pained smile on her face. He was confused, unable to process his predicament, his surroundings.

"How do you feel?" Arianna inquired, clearly noticing her brother's perplexity.

"What happened to me?" His voice was hoarse. It hurt him to even make an effort at uttering words. The skin on his neck felt itchy. He instantly placed his hands on his neck, discovering the plaster of cotton and gauge against his skin – one of the sources of discomfort. Irritated and confused, he began tugging at it in an effort to free himself.

"Nate, don't." Arianna attempted to stop him. She held his hands away to the bed.

"Don't." Her voice was strong, commanding – just like it had been when she had once caught him copying his homework straight out of the book of one of his classmates when he had been thirteen. His hands slowly found their way to his side.

"Wha… How… What happened?" he stuttered, unsure of what question to ask, unsure if he could ask a question.

Arianna's eyes softened. She looked at him sympathetically, taking his hand and hers and rubbing them gently, soothingly. "I was hoping you could tell me." She encouraged.

Seeing the hope, the comfort and warmth in his sister's eyes, he felt as if nothing had mattered more to him ever before than simply confiding in her his regrets, his fears and most importantly his associations. But no, he wouldn't. He looked away, not giving Arianna what she wanted to know.

"Nate," she began, not knowing how to coax words from his mouth. She needed to know, she had to protect her brother. She needed his cooperation more than anything at that moment. "Look… I know I haven't been around for-"

"Save the speech Arianna." He snapped, irritated. He didn't want her concern, no matter how much he wished for it. She was upset. It was visible on her face. Patience however had been her dear friend, teaching her a lot more than the years that were behind her.

She wasn't discouraged, she started again. "I'm sorry." Two simple words were all it took to redeem her mistakes in the eyes of her brother. He looked at her, his face an opaque mask of the turmoil of emotions seething within him.

"I'm sorry for being a lousy sister." She continued. "I'm sorry for not being there for you." Nathaniel did not interrupt her; he listened to her apology patiently. "I'm sorry for being selfish Nate." She was fiddling with her fingers – a clear sign of nervousness.

Nate didn't think it necessary to take aid of speech for response. He knew the difficulty Arianna faced for admitting her mistakes, apologizing was pushing it too far. It was difficult for her, yes. He wanted it to be difficult for her, yes, but he knew better than to push her buttons more than required, lest she snap.

"I don't know what happened last night." His voice was almost inaudible. "I can't remember." It was lie. He did remember. He remembered the frosty air, the cracking woods, the bracelet, Lynette, and screaming.

Arianna searched her brother's face for any sign of familiarity, hoping he remembered the events of the previous night. "Anything?" she enquired after a long silence.

He hesitated, unsure if he could tell Arianna of what he had gotten himself into. Somewhere deep within, he was still scared. He had always wanted to be in her good graces. Only, he didn't realize that she held him closest to her heart and his efforts were unnecessary.

"You can tell me Nate. You know you can." She encouraged him; her fingers brushed his tangled hair. "It'll be our secret." A pregnant silence engulfed them.

"I was in the woods last night." Nathaniel began, his voice wavering. "We were doing our usual thing… I never thought they'd die." His voice was heavy, tearful.

She waited patiently while he continued reciting his story.

"Who was with you Nate?" Arianna encouraged. "How many were you?"

"Five. It was five of us. Chace didn't show up."

"Chace? Chace Smith? The lad you played soccer with?"

"Yeah." Nate nodded. "I swear… I swear I don't know what happened Aria. I…" his body trembled with fear, uncontrolled sobs barely escaping his strong façade. She knew what was coming next. It was characteristic of members of the Griffiths family to be poor receptors of any extreme emotion.

Arianna took Nate in her arms, comforting him as her hands soothingly rubbed his back. "It's alright Nate. We'll find out what happened." Nathaniel did not question, he did not over analyze. He simply let himself enjoy the reassurance his sister's presence and soothing gestures provided.

* * *

"Morning little sister." Kol's chirpy voice wasn't one Rebekah had been too accustomed to hearing early in the morning.

She grunted in pain as she shifted from her awkward position. Her neck felt as if it had been broken, she felt weak.

"Slept like a baby, didn't you?" Kol taunted as the blonde original struggled to get to her feet. Kol simply enjoyed the sight of his stumbling sister, sitting on the chaise longue not bothering to assist her.

"Whatever happened to you?!" he mocked her again. Rebekah's patience was wearing thin. Even in her fragile state she couldn't hold back her tongue. It had never been her area of expertise unlike Niklaus. She was much like Kol. She winced however, ignoring her brother's taunt. Kol chuckled at his sister's speechlessness. It was his turn to be the victorious one.

"I brought you some snack." He walked towards her, looking her in the eye, smug about his victory. "It's waiting for you upstairs." He watched her hollow eyes as they glared at him, her skin ashen. She wasn't pleased with her defeat.

He rested his arms on her shoulder purposefully, knowing it would irritate her. "Is this any way to bid adieu to your brother darling 'Bekah?" his voice was deceitfully saccharine sweet. It had the desired effect on Rebekah though.

"Where are you going?" she sounded much like a croaking frog. He didn't reply, only smiled at her. It wasn't his signature wicked smile, he wasn't even smug and it certainly wasn't his triumphant smirk. "Take care 'Bekah." His finger traced on her jaw line and his eye brows contorted for only a second soon replaced by his usual complacent façade.

He walked past her towards the door. Rebekah didn't know how to react or what to say. She wasn't even pretty sure if she understood what Kol might have just told her. "You can thank me when we meet again." He called before disappearing from sight.

She was reminded of her thirst by his closing statement. Without much thought she hurried to her room, her mind and body anxious for blood, eager to regain strength. She froze however at the sight before her. On the carpeted floor lay Matt Donovan's unconscious form.

She was horrified. She rushed to his side quick to assess the damage her brother had caused. To her surprise the boy of unscathed. If this was his idea of a tall story, it didn't make Rebekah laugh. But there was nothing she could do now.

Kol had left leaving an agitated Rebekah in his wake.

* * *

Arianna stood before the vast expanse of green vegetation, at the starting point of a trail, not too sure if she was doing the right thing by following her instinct. She had to take a chance though.

She debated with herself, pacing back and forth. She was scheduled to leave for Denver the next day, but it was her brother. She couldn't possibly leave without warning him sufficiently of the dangers that were abundant in this town and the only way to know was to discover, was to follow to her instinct, and so she did.

Visibility in the woods was extremely meager. There was not a soul around, the winds were absolutely still. It felt eerie to be in them, as if it wasn't a place for the living. She walked nonetheless, following the trail she had chosen on the recommendation of Chace Smith, Nate's fellow groupie. She shook her head in despair at the thought of what her brother had gotten himself into. It was never too late though.

The familiar pang of pain was beginning to crawl into her mind. Every now and then she would be supplied with visions – snippets of an ancient time.

_A young boy of not more than fourteen ran after a young girl a good few years older than himself. He had the same brown hair as that of her brother, Arianna realized. He was lanky, about five feet at best and no taller. The clothes he wore though were of a different era. A pre-historic era perhaps. _

"_Wait for me." He playfully called out to his sister whose giggling resonated in the woods. Arianna only caught sight of her braided orderly blonde hair._

She was abruptly brought back to reality as the young boy and girl faded into the deep woods. She didn't have a very good feeling about it.

There were no voices around, no sound apart from the occasional snapping of a twig under her boots. The woods only got darker until she came to an abandoned clearing.

_They screamed in pain, anger lacing their shrieking voices. The women at the stake burned slowly, steadily, their kith and kin wailing. The towns folk watched the uncouth demonstration of blind faith._

_A man marched furiously before the pedestal where the women burnt. "They are the evil that live among us, inconspicuous. Sorcerers, witches, architects of the supernatural abomination that has plagued our town." He paused for dramatic effect before continuing, pointing fingers at the half burnt carcass on the stake. "Show them no mercy."_

_The wailing continued; the air was filled with the stench of burning human flesh and blood. It made Arianna want to vomit. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold back the bile that was rising in her throat. _

She coughed loudly as her mind started to retract from her state of trance. The force of it threw her off guard; her back slouched against the bark of a fir tree in the vicinity. Beads of sweat covered her forehead and suddenly she wasn't feeling so well. She knew she couldn't hold back anymore.

Pulling her hair back, she threw up on the ground before her; the bile leaving a strange taste in her mouth. She felt strangely sick, light, and weak. Closing her eyes for a few minutes, she rested her head on the bark of the tree. Cold wind had started billowing in the distance. The feel of soft breeze on her cheek was welcoming. It felt like she was being caressed by it. It felt strangely human.

Her eyes snapped open in horror.

The young boy from her previous vision stood before her. It felt as if he had been watching her all this while. He smiled at her. She was puzzled. This boy wore clothes entirely suitable for another era. His boots were held in place by worn out black strings around his ankle and lower limb. His shirt was long, more of a rag than what she was accustomed to seeing. He looked like an ancient cobbler or blacksmith's son. His hair was long and brown, eyes expressive and confused, face full of playful innocence.

"What's your name?" Arianna found strength in her voice.

He didn't reply. The boy simply started walking away from her. She couldn't fathom why. "Wait." She called after him but he kept walking. She got to her feet quickly and followed the elusive boy. The winds around her picked up pace, working against her, preventing her from moving forward.

She was determined though. The little boy looked in her direction from afar as she edged closer, he continued walking.

"Who are you?" she screamed into the woods, hoping in vain for a reply. None came.

She was curious. Who was this boy? Why had she spotted him? Where was he leading her? A million different questions plagued her mind. Without realizing she found herself standing at a very familiar place. It smelled of death, like it was fresh in the air.

_The young redhead giggled and sped to catch the familiar platinum bracelet, reveling in her achievement, analyzing her prize._

_Arianna knew that it belonged to her brother. She watched as he sat back in frustration against the tree, eyeing the redhead._

_In the distance she heard the angry growl of an animal she hadn't heard before. The others seemed to have realized that they had company too, unsolicited nonetheless. From the woods emerged her personalized monster, none other than Kol Mikaelson. She needed to know no more but the curse she was blessed with didn't approve of it._

_She watched in despair, horror and disgust the way he drained the bodies of blood, delighted at his actions, satisfying his desire. He was vile. He made her wrench. _

Her face was pale, numb. She stood rooted to the spot unaware of where her feet had carried her. Darkness was soon replacing the little light that penetrated the semi-permeable woods. The young brown haired boy appeared in front of her again. She made her way cautiously to him, hoping he wouldn't resort to his elusive ways again. He didn't run, he didn't move.

Arianna walked towards him and he smiled as if it was what he wanted. She bent on her knees, her eyes in level with his. "Who are-" he cut her short, placing his hand on her mouth. She could only feel faint traces of skin and no more.

He looked into her eyes, taking her palms in his tiny ones. Not a word escaped his mouth. His eyes turned ashen white though, devoid of pupils as if he was being possessed. Arianna didn't realize when she was being transferred to another world. She felt her life force being meddled with.

_A young man ran towards his house. _

"_Mother… mother" he carried in his arms the lifeless form of a young boy, his limbs dangling in the air. "Henrik." He cried in despair._

_An older man and woman emerged from the hut followed by the blonde she had seen before and another man. Their resemblance indicated that they were family. _

"_Henrik?" the blonde gasped shocked and ran towards the lifeless body of her brother. _

_The elder woman hurried towards her son, "No, no! What happened?"_

"_The wolves! I am sorry, I am so sorry." The younger man sobbed relentlessly, defeated._

_Arianna watched the scene before her carefully. The young boy who lay on the ground had long brown hair, complacent features and wore the clothes of one who had guided her thus far. He was no more._

_And the young blonde who sobbed mournfully beside her brother was none of than Rebekah Mikaelson._

_She felt her life force waver again. Her mind was closing, she was being pulled out of the strange dream she seemed so lost in. _

When she opened her eyes, she saw nothing. The young boy had faded into oblivion, not to be found. She looked around, shocked at her surroundings. It had all seemed so real. She got to her feet, searching in the woods for the elusive boy until she came across a small glimmering source deep within the woods.

She walked in its direction, the source remaining stationary. When she finally arrived at her destination, the glimmering ball of light plunged into the ground beneath her feet just a few meters away.

Arianna bent down to where the light ball had disappeared. It was cemented. She bent on her knees dusting away the dried leaves and damp mud that covered cemented area.

Her shock knew no bounds when she read what was inscribed on it in old Viking script.

"_**Henrik Mikaelson.**_

_**Beloved brother, son, family."**_

* * *

_**Okay, what would my score be?**_

_**What did you think of the chapter? To your liking?**_

_**Also I have a question - How many of you would like a Christmas gift? - A Christmas update?!**_

_**I'm eager to read your reviews already! :)**_


	10. Chapter 9

_Hello everyone!_

_I come with apologies this time. I know it has been VERY VERY long since the last time I updated but I'm a complaining university student here and I hope you all understand the nightmare of workload we all have on our backs once its in full swing._

_Nonetheless, I have the next chapter. Its not particularly interesting. (Its not really a favorite) But still, if it wasn't important I wouldn't have written it. I hope most of you are still as interested as you were when it comes to reading this story. I do apologize for the quality of this chapter and hope that the next one will come to me more swiftly and without too many glitches._

_Also, I'll give a quick shout out to all of you for now - Thats my big thank you as usual, the PM(s) will be waiting in a couple of hours. _

_A huge thank you to **BarbarafromGR, WendyHomel, LucyRider17, Cielja, Snowberryxoxo, ConsistenlyRandom21**, my dear dear friend **Appy**, the ever so kind** appreciation**, the lovely **CritiqueOfReason**, **Huntress3419**,** Chocolate Boy** (DreamsfortheDead, I still love you!), the very talented** Lotheriel** (I'm falling back on reviews I know. I'll make up!), **sofia313** (your input is so very valuable, thank you!), **WhatsGoingOn, bettingonalice01**._

_I wish all you guys a (delayed) Happy and Prosperous 2013! And lets kick this year off for this story with this Chapter!_

_Happy Reading! :)_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Kol watched from a distance, the boy as he braced himself to take another shot on the pitch. He missed, once again. Kol shook his head in frustration. The young boy still had a long way to go and what could be better for him than having a tutor of the likes of a thousand year old vampire? Kol was adept at sport, always being the athletic one among his siblings next only to Niklaus.

The young boy grunted as he hit the ball with all his might and began his sprint. The ball landed with a light thud, a few feet away from Kol. Introductions were certainly in order.

Kol picked the ball, fidgeting with it, he waited to be approached. "Hey man, can I get that back?" the young boy was walking towards him with an expectant look on his face. Kol's lips twitched involuntarily in a smile.

"Looks like you could use some help." He kept the ball to himself. The young boy gave Kol a quizzical look, unsure of what mannerism to exhibit. He arched an eyebrow apprehensively, contemplating.

Introductions were certainly in order, Kol thought. "I'm Kol." He put forward his hand to shake, a friendly gesture. The boy's face softened, after little thought, he smiled slightly too and shook his hand.

"Jeremy Gilbert."

* * *

The sun shone brightly in the morning sky in Denver. The weather was mildly chilly even in the winter months as compared to the average frigid temperature of Mystic falls. The breeze blew gently, caressing her cheeks. Arianna enjoyed the climate; she could finally let her hair down a bit. It was what she always craved, a fresh start, a place where no one knew her, a place where she could be who she wanted, what she wanted and never have to think twice before her next action.

Her feet carried her quickly forward on the pavement before she ascended a flight of stairs in most unladylike fashion, skipping several of them at once. She had been running late.

'Damn that alarm.' She cursed to herself. If only had it rung on time, she wouldn't find herself in the state of frenzied hurry that she was currently in. She would have to hurry unless she was a fan of making a grand entrance in an already semi-filled classroom. She wasn't a huge fan of conspicuity.

Time and again she would glance at her wrist watch and shuffle through her papers at the same time. Even after a week at the University she hadn't managed to memorize her program and class schedule even though she had managed to familiarize herself with most of the corners and halls of the central university area.

Amidst her musing, she paid little attention to where her feet guided her and she walked straight into someone.

"Oww." Arianna momentarily halted in her tracks rubbing her nose soothingly, her eyes closed, hoping that the spasm that hit her nose would cease. She had no time to recuperate however. Why did things like this happen to her only on the days her alarm refused to obey?

"Are you alright, miss?" the man asked her concernedly, but she hardly had time to notice him, save his curly brown hair, twinkling eyes and the familiar voice she had heard sometime over the past couple of days. "Yeah, I'm sorry." She muttered in a hurry and sped past the man into the hall at the far end of the corridor.

Atticus Shane watched pleased, the brunette, her brown locks flying in the turbulent wind. Not a couple of days ago had he seen her at the Mystic Falls Public Library, yet here she was, assumingly a student where he was just visiting. He bent down to pick the sheet of paper that had slipped from her fingers.

Scratching the back of his head lazily, he scanned the document. It was her daily schedule.

"Arianna Griffiths." He read to himself, smiling. He turned one last time to look at the brunette before walking contentedly towards the common teacher's room.

* * *

Arianna shuffled through her papers, arranging and rearranging, searching tirelessly. How could she possibly be so irresponsible? She remembered having run back to her apartment only for it and yet here she was, searching for the single piece of paper. "You cannot be serious." She muttered to herself. It would warrant another visit to the university office which was a long way off where her classes were held. She felt tired, lethargic even to so much as push herself from the chair she was comfortably seated in. "Oh come on now."

Finally she gave up. Arianna had lost her class schedule and now did not know what she had signed up for next. She sighed defeated, her fingers massaging the temples of her head. The untimely hour at which she had awoken and deficiency of breakfast diet in her stomach made her feel queasy.

Collecting the remnants of her belongings, Arianna headed to the cafeteria where she bought a cup of coffee and a sandwich and chose an empty table against the huge glass windows. The vibrating cellphone in her trousers demanded her attention.

She had a couple of unread messages.

The first one was from Melanie. She really had missed her friend. She pressed the button. "_Day 7: I'm back doing what I do best."_

She laughed at a heroic picture of Melanie's bogus attempt at strangulating Damon whose expressions were slightly more exaggerated to give the picture its dramatic effect. Melanie's recovery had been suspiciously early and beyond any explanation that science could offer, Arianna however thought it better not to question and was simply thankful that she was in a better state of health.

She scrolled to read the other messages.

'_She's forcing me to go to some shit fundraiser. I'm not. You handle her.'_ It was her disgruntled brother complaining about their mother. Arianna sighed. Well the least she could be happy about was the fact that they were at talking terms and Nate felt comfortable enough to whine about things before her. It had taken a lot of mutual effort to regain eachother's trust and she was determined to only develop on it as the days passed by.

"Can I join you?" an unfamiliar feminine voice shook her out of her arbitrary musing. Arianna looked at the slender girl with brunette hair and mischievous brown eyes, a slight smile gracing her lips. She reciprocated, "sure. Help yourself!"

The brunette pulled the chair and made herself comfortable. "So, you're new around here?" she asked casually.

"Yeah. Just attending a program this place offers." Arianna put her cell-phone away giving her guest her full attention. "What about you?"

"Oh… I'm just visiting.. A guy I know." Her words were filled with a strange uncertainty, as if she was contemplating a million times before establishing a relationship, before speaking more than required.

"So you're not from Denver then?" The brunette swiftly changed the topic of conversation.

"Nope. And by the looks of it, neither are you." Arianna stated firmly, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips.

"I'm Hayley by the way." The brunette smiled; playfulness persistent in her features. "Arianna."

The shrill electric bell rang in the corner. Arianna began to gather her things. "So… what class you got now?" Hayley asked, her hands in her pockets.

"Umm, I really don't know. Lost my schedule so I guess I'm just going to go and walk into the first class I think is interesting." The two brunettes walked to corridor absentmindedly.

"Great, I think you should come with me then." Hayley led the way implying Arianna to follow.

"And where is it that we're going?" she called after Hayley.

"You'll see."

Arianna paused before walking into the hall where Hayley had disappeared. "Occults Art – Prof. Atticus Shane." It read. She looked at it skeptically for a moment before shaking her head in disbelieving amusement and hurried in to find Hayley. She was seated right in the middle of a commotion-filled lot of students. The man at the head of the class was fidgeting with the laptop placed before him, configuring it with the projector. The moment her eyes caught Arianna's form, she waved enthusiastically, calling her over.

"Occults, really?" she had the playful tone of one being deceived into doing something they wouldn't have done otherwise, in their senses.

"You'll see." Hayley's eyes were fixed on the tall frame of the man at the head of the class. Arianna's eye followed hers and that was when recognition blossomed in her eyes, her mind could recall their prior acquaintance.

The man had the familiar brown curly hair, an angular jawline, the familiar frame and the unmistakable twinkling eyes. He was the man she'd met at the library not a couple of days ago and just when she thought her staring wasn't too obvious, he looked up from his laptop and straight at her.

* * *

At the end of his lecture when he was beginning to collect his belongings, he felt a pair of eyes trained on him. He knew she was watching, he knew she recognized him and truthfully was quite fascinated by her. He continued nonetheless as she continued to watch him.

Arianna watched the little confrontation between Hayley and the professor. It appeared they couldn't quite come to a consensus on a particular subject leaving a very miffed Hayley who decidedly stomped out of the class. The large room was beginning to clear out as the students dispersed for the day in batches.

The man with the curly hair and twinkling eyes had been quick to catch her interest. He spoke of the occult, he spoke of the paranormal and what she experienced on a daily basis wasn't quite the normal. It was only obvious she'd have come across one like him. She made a mental note to thank Hayley later, for now she decided to make quick introductions.

She walked towards his table, standing before him. "Professor." He looked at her pointedly, as if he was expecting her to be right there at that very moment.

"Ms. Griffiths." His eyes sparkled with sincerity and excitement, he extended his hand. She didn't quite know how he knew her name but she was going to find out. She took his hand when her eyes fell on a scattered piece of paper sticking out of his folder on his desk. It was her class schedule.

"You have something of mine." She smiled, pointing at his folder.

"Oh. Yes, I do." Shane shuffled through his folder quickly retrieving the document. "You dropped it when you were running late for class this morning." He explained. Arianna's eyes widened. She had been rather clumsy and was hoping that wasn't an impression that would last a lifetime.

"That was you?" he laughed at her scandalized expression freely as they walked on the corridor. "Yeah."

"So you're profess Occult Art?" she questioned him deliberately. Even though her mind was inquisitive, she knew better than giving herself away. He looked at her, a sudden shift in his features but a façade still covering them. "Yes, I do."

"Do you truly believe in them though?" she shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows, I'm always curious."

"You know what they say about curiosity-" she couldn't help but speak but stopped midsentence when realization dawned upon her. Shane obviously noticed her apparent shift in demeanor. "You alright there?" he asked, concerned. When she didn't respond, he shook her slightly. She gasped, shaking out of her trance before the nightmare would descend upon her. It had been a week since and fortunately she hadn't had one of her episodes yet or her… nightmares. Kol and Rebekah and Mystic Falls had all been but a bad nightmare. "I'm good… I need to… I'll get going." She muttered, slightly out of breath.

"You don't look so well." He persisted. Arianna noticed a fleck of concern in his warm eyes feeling slightly unsteady. She didn't know him yet, couldn't help but wonder why he was being so friendly. He looked at her with familiarity though. "Is there anything you want to talk to me about?" he asked, noticing her guarded expression. She knew she was better off walking away, under normal circumstances she would have even, what was it that was holding her firmly in place now, in the midst of a crowded college corridor.

She decided against voicing her thoughts, "what were you doing in the library?" she asked reminiscing their first encounter.

"I'm sorry, what?" he was taken aback with the haphazard context of her question.

"I saw you at the library a week back. What were you doing in Mystic Falls?" she asked him again and noticed the sudden twitch in his jaw. He was hiding something too. "Is there something you want to talk to me about?" she was using his words on him and he was quick to notice that. She was challenging him, but he was a different player. Unlike Kol, he knew when to yield and when not to.

"How about we get some coffee first."

Arianna smiled slightly at his directness. She didn't know him and she certainly wasn't going to encourage him. He was a professor and she a student, it would only lead to complications. She debated with herself. She didn't want more complications in her life than already present.

"I don't like coffee." She walked away, the smile not once leaving her face.

Shane's eyes trailed the form of the young brunette, his mind racing with curiosity, always inquisitive. He was certainly going to pursue her. All he had to do was wait, and patience was a virtue he had come to learn over a period of time.

* * *

Arianna made herself comfortable at the bar stool. Hayley and she had exchanged numbers and she was to meet her at the bar that night. The prospect of getting out on campus and meeting people always seemed to brighten her mood.

She checked her phone impatiently hoping to receive some news from Hayley but to no avail.

Kol had spotted her the moment she had walked in however. The scent of her, the aroma of her blood had been unmistakable. It appeared to him that she was calling out to him. What other explanation was there for her showing up everywhere he went. He had known she'd be headed to Denver soon and was only too pleased to see her here. He felt obliged to make his presence known to her but just when he was beginning to walk in her direction, a young man not much older than her was already leading her to the dance floor.

Kol certainly wasn't too happy about it.

* * *

_**I'm all too eager to hear your thoughts on this one. Please be kind as you always have been.**_

_**And also - Thank you for the 100. I love you guys! **_


	11. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note**__: _

_Dear all, I cannot thank each one of you enough for encouraging me to write and for the success of "No Longer Alone" so far. I am more than gratified by each of your reviews and I promise to try my level best to live up to your expectations._

_I know I have been horribly frustrating over the past couple of months - 5 months to be precise, but to be honest - those of you who know, being a college student with only 2 years to graduation and internships really doesn't give much time to breathe. I don't even need to say that I'm terribly disappointed with TVD and I have discontinued watching the show._

_Kol's character however is very dear to me and I will continue to write. I hope all of you still have some time to review because, its your review that makes this story the way it is! _

_Rest assured, I shall resume my old methods of shoutouts and personalized replies soon. (So be nice and do review! :P)_

_A huge thank you to -__** Cheesebunz83, Katherine Sparrow, BecMcKeown, Snowberryxoxo, CritiqueOfReason, Cielja, Aly Goode, ConsistentlyRandom21, WhatsGoingOn, LucyRider17, Huntress3419.**_

_My dearest dearest __**Chocolate Boy**__ - If you're reading this, I have missed you and I eagerly await to hear from you!_

_Happy Reading everyone! :)_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

The night felt young and she felt alive. It had been a while and she had forgotten what it was like to feel young and alive. She walked contentedly to the bar, humming the tune of the song that blared from the speakers in the periphery, adrenalin running high through her veins. Maybe she had one too many drinks, why she felt perfectly fine! She could do with another one.

"Hey!" she called out to the bartender who was serving another. The man looked at her. She dare say he was handsome. As if perceiving her thoughts and knowing the truth in them, the man quickly smirked. Arianna's eyebrows crunched together, a frown replacing the smile on her face and she turned away fidgeting with her hair.

"Why the frown?" she heard the masculine voice behind her, turning instantly to see the blond boy smiling at her, a bit puzzled about her demeanor. The warm breath on her neck raised goosebumps on her glistening skin. It was probably the alcohol that was making its induced effect felt.

"Oh! Nothing. The man at the counter over there is creepy." She leaned in to whisper into his ears. He looked over her shoulder but could spot no one.

"Who?"

"The man at the counter, he's about three or four chairs away." She repeated conspiratorially.

"There is no one behind you, honey."

Arianna quickly turned around to scan the empty place. Were her eyes deceiving her? "But he was right there." She whispered more to herself, contemplating.

She felt a cold finger brush the soft skin of her jaw-line, tucking the strands of her messy hair behind her ears. She looked at the man before her and smiled. His hair was tousled, forehead wet with perspiration, the buttoned-up shirt he wore stuck snugly to his lean frame. "Looks like someone's had a bit too much of a drink." His voice was husky, seductive and Arianna was beginning to get mesmerized.

"Shut up." She smirked at him and searched for the bartender.

All the while that she laughed and giggled, little did she know she was being watched. Not too far away sat the very same man at the counter, his eyes trained at her like a lion stalking his prey, only he was far fiercer, far more lethal. Kol was growing red with jealousy but he wouldn't admit to it. He couldn't fathom why he was witnessing the torment she was putting him through, but he sat put in his seat while she laughed with the blond boy and danced with him all night. It irked him immensely that the girl could so much as retain her sanity after what he had put her through. How could she possibly pretend to lead a normal life after having him vexed?

He knew it had to change and change it had to, quickly.

As the night grew darker, Arianna's feet were beginning to give into the weakness in her body. It felt like nothing could have ever been wrong in her life. Tonight she was leading a perfect life in an alternate universe. In this universe, she was completely normal, she wasn't a medium, she wasn't a clairvoyant, she was but a normal college student who was drinking off her stress with a handsome man to keep her company. Tonight all she wanted was to be reckless and untamed.

His touches were beginning to excite her, the incident brush of skin on skin was arousing her and the alcohol in her system had empowered her with a newfound bravado that she was otherwise unaccustomed to. He was dancing close to her, his hands were on her hips, her arms around his neck, her back against his firm chest, his lips slowly finding their way discreetly to her neck.

Kol watched from afar, the dirty dancing his little vixen engaged in. Did she mean to torment him? Was she even aware of how she was tormenting him? He banished the thought from his mind no sooner it occurred. This was his game and he made the rules. There could be only one winner and it was he alone. He was the dominating one of the two and he certainly had to rectify his position.

Arianna shivered at the feel of rough palms making their way slowly under the hem of her shirt. She couldn't deny the fact that it was only exciting her sexually and she was seeking more pleasure. Turning her face around abruptly, her lips met the matching pair she was searching for and as expected; her abrupt movement was met with much ferocity, hunger and passion. He bit into the bottom of her lips and Arianna moaned, the line between pleasure and pain seemingly blurred. She pressed herself against him and soon found herself being dragged towards the restroom.

Warm, heated hands traced her torso as her hands went to the hair on the nape of his neck and she pulled on it showing little restraint, her body grinding into his. She could feel his arousal and was pleased with herself for having such an effect on him. She was enjoying this immensely knowing that she might not probably remember it the following day, or even if she did it could probably mean the beginning of something new. Either way, neither her mental nor her cognitive faculties were too alert to register her surroundings. So engrossed were they in the lust that governed their physical selves that neither of them took heed of the blazing flames around the little stall they had chosen to seclude themselves in.

Arianna panicked, her mind slowly registering the fact that she needed to flee immediately. Someone pulled on her hand and dragged her forward as she tried to remain as careful as her callous self allowed to be in her semi-drunken state maneuvering their way through the fire. People around her screamed, a crowd gathered outside the little university bar to watch it burn illuminating the neighborhood. Sirens of law enforcement vehicles and ambulances blared in the background and it gave her a terrible headache. She felt dizzy and nauseous. She needed to get back home and in desperate need of sleep, expecting a terrible hangover the following day.

She looked around for her companion but he was nowhere to be seen. The one person she did however see again that night was the all too familiar man sitting at counter who she thought to be a figment of her imagination. He stood rooted to the ground, looking at her as if he knew her from ancient times. She knew she knew him, his face was all too familiar and he knew she watched him. The moment his lips curled up in a smirk, a chill ran down Arianna's spine.

"Hey babe, you okay?" warm palms covered her cold cheeks and she found a pair of blue eyes looking at her with a look of concern. The man had a few cuts on his face, none too serious.

Arianna just stared blankly at him; looking back at the spot she had seen the mystery man not many seconds ago. Of-course she knew him.

It was Kol.

* * *

What started out as a dull day playing ball with little Gilbert had ended in a rather eventful manner. He drank another single-malt that was poured to him by a beautiful brunette at a local city bar. He drank to his victory.

The look on his little vixen's face followed by the glimmer of apprehension and fear at her recognition meant more to him than she would have ever known. He hadn't had his way with her yet though. He mused at his luck at having found her here. The past few days had been rather frustrating for one as impatient as himself to be bonding with little Gilbert. He was rather young and Kol was a man of experience; experience of atleast a thousand years. It took a lot of restraint on his part from snapping the brown-haired boy's neck into two. He was impulsive yes, but not foolish. That was reserved for a special occasion and would duly be executed soon.

His thoughts once again drifted back to his vixen and he couldn't help but think of her fiery burgundy hair. It had an odd color, he couldn't quite ascertain if it was burgundy, brown or bronze. Her eyes had glimmered with a sense of ease that night as she danced with the blond boy. Kol snarled involuntarily, little to his knowledge and the bartender froze. He only noticed her stiff form when the charms on her wrist tingled as she cautiously moved to clear the glass he drank from and he instantly grabbed on to her wrist. She looked into his menacing eyes, they were the eyes of a predator, a killer and she panicked further, his lips trying desperately to call out for help.

He looked straight into her eyes and smirked, his tone seductive and commanding, true to his personality. "Alright darlin', here's what you'll do for me." He maneuvered around the counter and leaned against it looking at the terrified girl.

"Strip." He stated simply and the young woman found her hands unwillingly shedding pieces of fabric from her skin. Tears welled up in her eyes but she couldn't stop herself. She knew not what had come over her and was no longer in control of her actions.

"Very good, petal." Kol moved to stand behind her, grabbing a knife from the counter and handing it to the girl as his fingers traces her bare waist line, his lips traced the crook of her shoulders, the scent of the crimson liquid strong in jugular. "Now, slit your writs." He was curt and the girl hesitated for a second, trying her level best to hold back.

"Please don't do this." She sobbed, tears flowing, the kohl from her eyes forming black streaks on her cheeks. "Please.." one of his hands moved to cup her supple breast, squeezing and toying with her pink bud while the other found its way to her core and she gasped as he felt a wave of pleasure course through her being.

No sooner did her arousal cloud her mind, the remainder of her guard swiftly swept off her mind and she yelled in pain as the sharp uneven edge of the knife made an angry gash on her wrist. It was Kol's cue for dinner time.

* * *

Arianna dreamed that night, tossing and turning in her bed like never before. Over a month it had been. She thought she had rid herself of the monsters in her closet. Kol, Rebekah, Henrick were her past. She had left them in Mystic Falls.

_Her dream morphed hastily. She dreamed of the blond boy she had danced with all night. She could still feel his tongue fight for dominance with her tongue. Alcohol was heavy in her breath but she didn't care. She moaned when he backed her against the wall of the restroom, feeling his arousal evidently. Arianna moved to wrap a leg around his waist pulling him closer to her, grabbing him by his collar as his hands rested on the small of her back._

_Suddenly, she found herself in her small kitchen. The kitchen island was hastily cleared, the pans cluttering to the floor with a single sweep. Their breaths were heavy, each of them panting with anticipation. Without looking at his face, she began to undo his buttons, her fingers fumbling not once. She kissed his glorious chest hungrily deliberately sucking on the crook of his neck. He set her on the island and she let her head fall backwards as the sound of her shirt ripping was muffled by her moan. Her skirt quickly joined the remainder of her shredded fabrics. Before she could react, she felt smooth sharp teeth hastily undoing the front clasps of her bra revealing her rounded breasts._

_Cold lips engulfed her full breasts as she felt teeth grazing her perked nipples and she let out a small cry as he bit into it._

"_Oh yes…" she cried in pleasure as the man carried her in dizzying speed to the bed. She let him rip off her lingerie, losing all sense of coherence. She just wanted to be pleasured and so far, she was being pleasured with great dexterity._

_Little time was wasted as she felt a cold breath on her stomach steadily moving towards her wet core. Her core glistened with moisture and his eyes shone with contentment. He chuckled and Arianna relished the sound of that ghostly chuckle, wanted to hear it again. She bucked up her hips making herself more accessible._

_She gasped upon feeling a slender finger infiltrate her folds. "Oh…God…" she moaned grinding her hips slowly as his lips descended on her wet core and his tongue licked her. She did taste delicious and he couldn't have enough of her. Two fingers held her open as she writhed in pleasurable pain. He wanted her to beg and she would do just that if it meant to be put out of such torture._

"_Babe…" she panted, grabbing onto his silky her, "Stop being a fuckin' tease." She finished hastily before her resolve crumbled and she lost her voice again._

_This time, there was no holding back. Wet tongue licked into her folds time and time again as both her hands grabbed onto his head, pulling him closer, her legs wide apart and he brought her wave after wave of pleasure. When her knees buckled, her lent her support and made her cry in ecstasy time and time again till she lost count of her orgasms._

_As she lay spent looking at ceiling, her brow covered with perspiration she felt him move on top of her like a snake and she smiled, closing her eyes as his lips pressed onto hers and he kissed her hard forcing her mouth open as she tasted herself on him. Never had she thought in her wildest day dreams that she was capable of such passion, that she would so immensely enjoy being so thoroughly pleasured. She chuckled at his hungry demanding mouth and forcibly pulled away wanting to look at his face._

_What she saw however stunned her to utter frenzy._

_The blond hair had morphed to brown, the soft blue eyes had given way to mischievous brown ones and that dexterous mouth had a smirk plastered on it._

"_Hello love." Kol said, his eyes shining with accomplishment._

Arianna woke with a start. She rushed to the kitchen, stumbling through her way until she finally grabbed a glass of cold water and downed glass after glass in hope of soothing her nerves. She breathed heavily, struggling with each breath as she deliberately tried to block any thought of what she had just dreamed.

She felt violated and dirty. She wanted to rip her skin off her body. She wanted to burn. Hugging herself tightly, she hung her head and cried. A soft tap on her back made her turn with a fright. The room was dark and quiet. She couldn't differentiate her hallucinations from reality anymore.

She turned back and screamed at the sight before her.

It was Henrik.

* * *

_**Somethings never change! And yet again, I'm anxious to hear from you.**_

_**Please review! :)**_


End file.
